Harry Potter and the Guardian of Time
by L.N. Scott
Summary: What would the world be like if Harry Potter had been adopted by Voldemort on that fateful Halloween night at Godric's Hollow. This fic is about a mysterious gift and from Hermione on Harry's birthday can open a portal to another universe.
1. Chapters One-Five

Harry Potter  
  
and the  
  
Guardian of Time  
  
  
  
Chapter One: Birthday Presents  
  
Harry Potter was staring in the mirror on the inside of his closet door spending another evening without sleep, his mind focused on dark thoughts, like Voldemort and poor Cedric Diggory. Cedric. It was Harry's fault he was dead. Perhaps it was easier to deal with if he though of it as his fault. He didn't like the idea of people dying, with nothing he could do about it. It was easier to just think that if it weren't for him, the life of a brave, good person would still be here.  
  
A slender, wiry dark-haired teenager of fifteen looked back at him from the mirror. His eyes remained as emerald green as they always were. His thin, lightning-bolt scar lay under his untidy black fringe. He had grown several inches over the summer and was now about five foot ten. Muscles, earned by many Quidditch practices and summer chores given by the Dursleys were hidden in his baggy old shirt. He sighed and looked at his calendar of days till he was back at Hogwarts. His stomach gave a funny jolt. It was June 31, his birthday. The moon was almost set outside of his window, so Harry guessed that it was about 3 a.m. Several owls were silhouetted moon by and Harry could tell that they were for him. He opened his window and soon Hedwig and seven other owls darted in. Harry had never had so many owls at once. The owls that her recognized were a tiny gray one, belonging to his friend Ron and a Great Horned owl that Harry could see belonged to the school. The other four were a sleek silver one, an eagle owl, a dark black one and the last one was a pale brown barn owl. They all were carrying a parcel for Harry. Harry first opened the package Hedwig was carrying. It was from Hermione. First he read the letter attached to it.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
How has your summer been? I'm so sorry that Dumbledore wouldn't let you leave the Dursleys, but there must be a very good reason. I've been at Viktor's home in Bulgaria. It's very nice, but when we both decided to break up. We're still friends though, but having a relationship with an 18 year old international Quidditch player is a bit too much. Also, I just don't feel the same about him.  
  
Anyway, have you heard from Snuffles lately? And Harry, don't worry so much about the future. I know that you are always thinking about Cedric and You- know-who, but honestly, you need to stop worrying. Everyone knows that you would never hurt Diggory. I hope my present keeps you busy! I wanted to keep it for myself, but I know you need something to do.  
  
Love,  
  
Hermione  
  
Harry ripped off the paper on the package and out tumbled a square, wooden box, the size of an apple. The box was old and looked as though it had been handled by many hands as the wood was worn. It didn't have any decorations at all except for a large symbol in the shape of two, large slanted black eyes a message engraved at the top of it in dark golden letters.  
  
Eraweb. Xob siht nepo yam eno nesohc eht ylno. Mlaer latrom eht ni gnimoc si Naidraug eht. Sdlrow ni neddih dlrow a egnahc ot rehtona rof sllac emit. Eraweb.  
  
To the side was a note taped on by Hermione.  
  
Harry-  
  
Read the words backwards, like the Mirror of Erised. It still doesn't make much sense to me. It says: Beware. Time calls for another to change a world hidden in worlds. The Guardian is coming in the mortal realm. Only the chosen one may open this box. Beware. It's weird. I found it in a pawn shop in Diagon Alley. The merchant said that the box was sold to him just the day before I came. I found that it's impossible to open this box, I tried opening, crushing and exploding hexes, but none of them work. Well, I think it's fascinating. Write me if you find out anything about it.  
  
-Hermione  
  
Frowning, Harry squinted his eyes and read the message again. He tucked the box into his pocket. Next he opened the package from Ron. His tiny owl was zooming across the room like a balloon with the air spewing out of it. His didn't have a note, but it did have some homemade blueberry pie. He opened the box from Ron and found a box full of Fred and George's newly invented joke stuff, which included plenty of Canary Creams, Ton-Tongue toffee, and other exploding assortments of various kinds. Grinning, be put them into his trunk. He though about slipping a Canary Cream into Dudley's breakfast.  
  
Harry picked up the third parcel, the one that the eagle owl had brought. It had a note attached to it. Harry quickly read the writing.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
I've been thinking about you lately. If it weren't for Cedric, I'd of tried to write to you sooner. I know that you feel guilty about the fact that he was killed but I want you to know that I only want to thank you for bringing his body back. I've talked to Mr. and Mrs. Diggory and they agree. I thought that you might want to know that we broke up before the final task. I also feel guilty. If I had only, well never mind. We need to move on.  
  
I heard it was your birthday so I found this for you. I also wanted to ask if you want to go together to the first Hogsmead trip this year. I like you a lot Harry, but I'll understand if you don't want to because of Cedric.  
  
Cho  
  
Cho had written to him? Harry had a crush on Cho last year, but he wasn't sure if he still did. It would be weird, to go out with Cedric's old girlfriend. She was very pretty though. Harry remembered his first match with her, her waist-length black hair flying out behind her and her dark eyes shining. She also had always been very nice to him. Quickly, Harry scribbled a note to her saying that he'd like to go to Hogsmead with her. He tied it back onto Cho's eagle owl.  
  
He opened her parcel. It was a framed moving photograph of a the very same Ravenclaw vs. Gryffindor Quidditch game from Harry's third year that he had been thinking of. He could make out Cho following him closely with a grin. He remembered that game. It was the first time he had seen her. In the corner of picture, he saw the words; A Photograph by C. Creevey. Harry smiled. Colin was a slightly annoying fourth year at Hogwarts, but he was a good photographer.  
  
He then turned to the barn owl and relieved it of it's load. It was from Sirius, who did not mention his whereabouts. His gift was a book called Animagus: A Course on how to Transform into an Animal. Harry smiled. Sirius had become an illegal animagus during his years at Hogwarts. Harry had never considered becoming an animagus, but it was appealing. He put the book in his trunk, planning on at least reading it later.  
  
The jet black owl had brought the fifth present. He could tell that it was from an Wizarding post office because of the crest around it's neck. He there was a small note on the small dark green box.  
  
Dear Harry,  
  
I wanted you to have this. I have had it for a long time, but I've been wanting to give this to you since I met you. I like you for many reasons, not because you are famous or handsome or even a good Quidditch player (although you are all three). I like you because you are a brave and kind person. Not just nice. Most teenage boys don't have much kindness (trust me I know a lot of teenage boys), but I've seen you not only demonstrate kindness that gives, but the kind of kindness that gives up. I know that you won't want to talk to me. You deserve better that me. I'll see you at school. Happy Birthday.  
  
Love Always,  
  
Someone who loves you.  
  
Harry's face was steadily growing more embarrassed and red as he read the letter. A girl having a crush on him was weird. It was a little freaky that she had his address. He opened the box. It was an gold and red amulet strung on a chain so that he could wear it around his neck. It was of a phoenix. As Harry looked at it, he could see it's wings flapping. He put it around his neck, smiling. He thought of Fawkes, Dumbledore's phoenix. He didn't know who it was from, but he liked it anyway.  
  
He turned to the Hogwarts owl. First he read the letter that usually held it's school supplies. It was thicker than usual. Apart from the usual supplies list, it held a paper with the newly chosen prefects, and his had a shiny gold badge attached to it. He read the list quickly.  
  
Fifth Year Prefects  
  
Gryffindor: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger  
  
Hufflepuff: Justin Finch-Fletchly, Sally-Anne Perks  
  
Ravenclaw: Terry Boot, Lisa Turpin  
  
Slytherin: Draco Malfoy, Arianna Faye  
  
Sixth Year Prefects  
  
Gryffindor: Eric Harrington, Verity Amor  
  
Hufflepuff: Liam Yates, Bridget Kale  
  
Ravenclaw: David Hallowell, Cho Chang  
  
Slytherin: Jeremy Clark, Bianca Frost  
  
Seventh Year Prefects  
  
Gryffindor: Benjamin Gandy, Katherine Bell (Head Girl)  
  
Hufflepuff: Philip Lewis, Kaitlin Przezdziecki  
  
Ravenclaw: Roger Davies, Kiara Bigler  
  
Slytherin: Adrian Zeal (Head Boy), Charlotte Ware  
  
Harry's heart leapt. He was a prefect! And so was Hermione! He was a bit put off that Malfoy was one, but you couldn't get everything that you asked for. The only other fifth year prefect that Harry knew was Justin Finch- Fletchly, a muggle-born Hufflepuff. He didn't really know any of the other fifth years prefects. Stapled to the prefect list was a letter from Professor McGonagall, the Deputy Headmistress.  
  
Dear Mr. Potter,  
  
Congratulations on being chosen as prefect. I trust that you will set a good example to your fellow students and follow the rules (Harry laughed out loud at this.). You now have the authority to award and deduct house points and give detention to everyone except another prefect. If you see a prefect breaking a rule, summon a teacher who does have that power. The first prefect meeting of this year will be on the thirteenth of September at noon in the top of East tower, on the sixth floor. See you at school.  
  
Yours sincerely,  
  
Minerva McGonagall  
  
Deputy Headmistress  
  
Harry, grinning, turned to the parcel the school owl had carried. It was a small cage from Hagrid. Harry gulped. It was some sort of animal, he could hear it through the bars at the front of the cage. Harry knew that if Hagrid had sent a pet to Harry, it would most likely be very dangerous. First he read Hagrid's note.  
  
Harry-  
  
Hello mate! Hope yer summer's good. I found a present for ye out in the forest this mornin'. Hope ye like him. Happy Birthday! See ye at skool.  
  
Hagrid  
  
P.S. Ye might want ter wear your dragon hide gloves until he gets used to ye.  
  
Cautiously, he undid the lock and something pure gold slid out. Hedwig and the other owls screeched in fear. It was a snake. It was about a foot long and sleek and elegantly slender. It raised it's head to look at Harry with it's large jewel-like, bright green eyes. "Hello, Massster."  
  
Harry breathed a sigh of relief. Snakes were a specialty of Harry's. Harry spoke, but now it was in a hiss. "Hello. I guess you're my birthday present from Hagrid. For a second I was afraid he would be sending me a baby Manticore or something. Well, what's your name?"  
  
"I am called Jaissslyssshree, but you may call me Jai. Is easssier for you to pronounssse in mortal tongue. Actually, Hagrid had sent you a pet Acromantula. I sssnuck inssside of here. I ate the Acromantula. Sssssorry. I doubt you like ssspidersss anyway. I want to be your companion Harry Potter. I promissse that I won't eat your owl if you let me ssstay with you Massster."  
  
Harry sat there, puzzled. Why would a snake want to become Harry's pet? He didn't care about the spider. Ever since his second year he had not been too fond of them. But Harry liked Jai and even though Hedwig didn't think too much of him, he decided to keep him. "Sure. You can stay. Just don't scare the owls too much and don't eat any of my friends pets when we get to Hogwarts."  
  
"Of courssse Massster. Happy Birthday, by the way. Aren't you going to open you other package?" Jai said looking curiously at the last owl.  
  
He undid the parcel from the silver owl. It was long, like a broomstick. He peeled away the thick, dark red paper. And out tumbled out something that Harry had seen before. It was a sword. He remembered it well. It was exactly the same as it had been when he had first pulled it out of the Sorting Hat. Gleaming silver and studded with enormous rubies. The engraving of the inscription Godric Gryffindor was hidden. The sword was encased in and intricately decorated scabbard of gold, spangled with more rubies. The scabbard was had a long, silver dragon leather strap so that it could be worn over your shoulder. It seemed a lot smaller and lighter than the last time that he has held it, but then again, he had grown in strength and size since then.  
  
"Impresssive... Very interesssting... I can tell that that isss a sssword of exssseedingly great power. A worthy gift. Who is it from?" Jai whispered into Harry's ear.  
  
Harry stared at the packaging. It did not have a note, but he was pretty sure that it was from Professor Dumbledore, who he knew kept it in his office. Dumbledore had once sent him an invisibility cloak, but that had belonged to his father. Why would he send him a sword belonging to Godric Gryffindor? "My headmaster, Professor Dumbledore, I think. There was no note," puzzled at the gift. He had no need for a sword.  
  
"Odd. Why would one sssend sssomeone a sssword, a highly valuable one and not even bother to tell the perssson? Very unusssual," Jai said with a shrewd look in his gleaming eyes.  
  
Harry frowned, thinking. He shrugged at Jai and gazed admiringly at the sword. Gently, he lay it in his trunk with all of his other highly valued possessions, which included his dad's old invisibility cloak, his Firebolt broomstick, and phoenix feather wand. His map of Hogwarts had been missing since last year, when Barty Crouch Jr., who was masquerading as "Mad-Eye" Moody had taken it from him, but Dumbledore had mailed it to Harry shortly after the end of the term. Jai slithered around Harry's neck as Harry sat there, amazed at his gifts, especially the sword and Jai, who was turning out to be a good friend. Something digging into his side. He pulled it out. It was the little box that Hermione had given to him. It was glittering oddly. The eyes carved onto it seemed to be staring at him. Jai hissed in a frightened way. "NO! Drop it Massster! Pleassse! You do not know what that isss!"  
  
Harry, startled at the screaming snake on his neck, fumbled to get a better grip on the box, but it slipped from his hands. It seemed to be magnetically attracted to the sword that lay in Harry's still open trunk. As the box touched the silver metal of the sword, it opened along an invisible, jagged crack and the two pieces rushed into Harry's hand as though they were being pulled by an invisible string. Harry was thrown forwards in a lurch towards the broken box. He gagged as a golden glint of something moving fast came rushing out of the box and straight down his throat, which was opened in a silent gasp of astonishment. He spluttered and became dizzy, falling on his trunk. Jai was shrieking in terror from on his neck. Hedwig and the other owls were screeching from across the room. Harry felt as though he was suddenly sucked into a whirlpool. He screamed in surprise and pain as the room around him spun around and dissolved. Harry was spinning and he felt sick. It was as though he was wrenched from his world and thrust into another. Abruptly, the spinning stopped. He wiped the tears and sweat from his eyes, getting off of his trunk and stared around. Where was he?  
  
He stuffed the shattered remains of the box into his pocket. After cleaning his glasses, his bottle green eyes saw a startling sight. He was in what appeared to be a war-torn area and it looked as though a row of houses had been physically ripped apart. The windows were all shattered. The street was cracked and destroyed. Harry himself was standing on a pile of what resembled ashes and fragments of glass. His trunk was next to him, still open. He wiped his glasses again and pinched himself. He was brought back to his senses by a hiss from around his neck. "Massster... why did you do that? Oh no... the Guardian..." the snake was mumbling to himself in a moaning hiss.  
  
Harry looked again at his surroundings, looking for anything vaguely familiar. Suddenly, his eyes were riveted to a sign that was half fallen at the edge of the row of wrecked houses. He felt his breath catch in his chest. Privet Drive. The spot he was standing was exactly where number four was supposed to be. "Oh my God," he whispered.  
  
Chapter Two: Alternate Universe  
  
Harry felt sick. He wasn't sure what was happening, but he was sure, whatever it was, it wasn't good. Harry, who was used to situations that were pretty bad, quickly fished his wand out of the trunk and stuffed it into his pocket. He draped the invisibility cloak over himself and Jai, who was still muttering incoherently to himself. He took out his Firebolt, then bewitched the trunk, still full of his sword, cauldron, enchanted map of Hogwarts, parchment, quills and books, to turn it into the size of his hand and did a weightlessness charm on it before stuffing it in his pocket. He had the idea of flying up to see if he could find out why Privet Drive was looking as though it had got into a fight with a dozen, angry giants.  
  
His body had vanished under the cloak, but he could feel himself pushing off the ground and soar into the air. His fear had lessened, he was back where he belonged, in the sky. He could still feel the air rushing through his hair. Around his neck, Jai was hissing in fear. He obviously did not like heights. Harry's eyes scanned the area around him. Almost everywhere nearby had been destroyed. Harry felt his stomach clench as he saw mile after mile of destruction. It didn't look recent, either. It looked as though all had always been meant to be destroyed  
  
After he had gone about ten miles from the where Privet Drive was, he saw something moving with his sharp eyes in a shadowed wood. He dived and as he grew nearer, he saw it was a group of about fifteen men, wizards robed in black with their wands out, encircling something in the center like wolves around their prey. He landed softly, still invisible, about ten feet from them. At first, Harry had been tempted to call out to them and ask them what had happened, but then he saw what they had been surrounding.  
  
It was a girl. She had shoulder length thick, matted brown hair and bright, intelligent brown eyes framed with dark, long eyelashes that were staring out defiantly. Her teeth were bared, and although they were very white, Harry could make out that the front two teeth were rather large, like a chipmunk's. Her face was scratched and smudged, but that couldn't hide a quiet beauty that shone from her face, reflected in the delicate, smooth curves of her chin and nose. One shaking pale hand was clutching a wand, as scratched as her appearance. Her quivering heart-shaped mouth was chanting words that Harry couldn't make out. She was standing proudly, with her head up, even as the wizards grew nearer and nearer to her, although there were streams of tears down her face. The dark robed wizards were advancing on her. She seemed to have a shimmering azure shield of sorts around her that warded off the other wizards, but Harry could see it flickering.  
  
He wasn't sure who he should be helping, but his heart went out to the girl, heavily out numbered and losing her battle. Before he could decide what to do, he had his wand out and muttered, "Stupefy!"  
  
One of the robed wizards fell, and soon, all of them had been taken out by Harry, looking for their hidden attacker, shouting in panic and shooting off spells in odd directions. The girl alone and Harry were standing in the woods. She too was looking around for the attacker of her foes. Her shield had died and she was swaying dangerously, as though she was so weak that she could barely stand. Harry walked forward, towards the girl. Her eyes widened in an apparent mixture of horror, bewilderment and hatred as he slipped the cloak off over his head. Her mouth was open in silent screams she looked into Harry's eyes. Her wand dropped from her hand. Harry suddenly recognized the girl, well young woman, from here he could see the curves of her body on her ripped midnight blue robes, but that wasn't all that he could see from here. "Hermione?" he gasped.  
  
She fainted. As her body fell towards the ground he caught her around the middle and gently set her down in the grass, shocked by the way she had greeted him and why she was being surrounded by dangerous wizards. "Enervate," Harry whispered, and her thick lashes fluttered and her eyes opened.  
  
She gasped terror again when she saw his face leaning over hers. "Hermione, it's me," Harry said in a confused voice. "What the hell is going on?"  
  
She backed away, as though afraid of Harry. When her voice found it's way to her lips, it was in a hoarse, throaty whisper, unlike Hermione's usual clear, intelligent sort of voice. "H-How is it that y-you know my name, m- my Lord?"  
  
Harry now thoroughly confused, not to mention hurt, spluttered, "What do you mean? It's me, Harry!"  
  
Her lips quivered at the mention of his name. Her face bent down as though she was inferior to Harry. Harry had never seen Hermione avoid the gaze of another person in fear, she was usually much too proud for that. "I know who you are, my Lord. How do you know who I am? Since when has his Lordship mingled with filthy mudbloods?" she sad in a low, bitter voice, unlike her own.  
  
"Lordship?" Harry bewildered. "Hermione, what is going on? We need to tell Professor Dumbledore or someone what is going on."  
  
Hermione was now looking at Harry as though she was not sure of his sanity. "The old headmaster of Hogwarts?" she whispered. "My Lord, he has been dead for thirteen years. Your father destroyed him, surely you did not know him my Lord? You were only a baby then."  
  
Harry shivered involuntarily. Now he was sure that the men had done something to Hermione, modified her memory perhaps. She wouldn't be saying things like this, things unbearably cruel, on purpose. Harry knew his father was dead. Harry knew that Professor Dumbledore had certainly not been dead for the last thirteen years. "What are you talking about, Hermione? You're insane," Harry breathed. Hermione fell silent and dropped into a ball, quivering at Harry's feet.  
  
A hiss from his neck suddenly reminded Harry that he still had Jai wrapped around his neck. Jai slithered onto his arm. He lifted his head to stared at Harry. "The muggle-born is not insssane. You opened the box of the Guardian. You are in another world now Harry Potter. Unless I am much missstaken, in this world, time has passssed differently that it has in your world. I'm not sssure how much the courssse of time hasss been altered."  
  
Hermione flinched as she heard the hissing from around Harry's neck. Harry furrowed his brow. He was in another world? In this world, time has changed the present. Harry didn't fully understand this, but from what the other Hermione had told him, could it be true? Could his father be alive? He needed to get the facts straight. "Er- Hermione or whoever you are, tell me my story. Tell me all about Harry Potter."  
  
Hermione was still trembling in a ball at his feet. Her hand was around her wand again and it kept twitching, as though she longed to curse Harry into a thousand pieces. "If you insist, my Lord," she said in a puzzled voice.  
  
"Well, everyone knows that fourteen years ago, y-your f-father turned up at G-Godric's Hollow. And h-he turned up and k-killed the Potters, James and Lily. And h-he adopted you as his h-heir. He grew and still grows in power, my Lord. He destroyed Albus Dumbledore th-thirteen years ago. And you are his m-most powerful, his closest supporter, his most faithful D-Death Eater. You are his son. And you are supposed to be with him right now at the castle, Enis in Ireland, my Lord. Are you not still leading the front of muggle killing and torture? Like the murders of my parents and thousands of other muggles and muggle-borns? Every one knows your name Harry Potter, and the deeds that you have done," she spat looking into Harry's eyes with loathing.  
  
Harry's legs wobbled. He had ordered the murder of thousands of people? He was Voldemort's heir? His adopted son? It couldn't be true, it was absurd, and yet he remembered the box. The box that he had opened. And what Jai had said. And the words on the box. Time calls for another to change a world hidden in worlds. How could he explain to this other Hermione that he wasn't the Harry Potter who murdered her parents? "Jesus Christ, Hermione, I'm sorry. I'm not who you think I am. I swear to God that I did not, I would never, order that. I need you to explain something to me. Do you believe that there are other worlds? Alternate universes? The Hermione that I knew, usually has the answer to everything," Harry rambled, unsure of what he should be saying.  
  
Hermione looked at him. Her eyes were narrowed in suspicion. "What do you mean "the Hermione that I knew"? And, yes, I have heard about the Guardian of Time, and legends of alternate universes, and of course, the prophesy of the Chosen Ones, but no, I do not believe them. I have never seen a shred of proof or evidence of the Guardian's existence. What exactly are you saying?" she snapped, looking as though Harry was definitely mad.  
  
"I'm saying Hermione, that I am from an alternate universe! In my world, Voldemort's powers were lost the night at Godric's Hollow when he used the Avada Kedavra curse on me. In my world he didn't adopt me, he wanted to kill me. It rebounded on him, leaving him half dead and powerless. See this scar, Voldemort gave it to me the night he murdered my parents!" Harry said, gesturing furiously to the scar on his forehead.  
  
"I have been living with my muggle aunt, uncle and cousin. In my world, Hermione, Albus Dumbledore is alive and is Headmaster of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry! I have been going there for the past four years with you and our other best friend Ron Weasley! And then, today, for my birthday, you send me this box that is suppose to be impossible to open. I somehow open it and then suddenly I find Privet Drive, where I live during the summer holidays destroyed. If there is no alternate world or whatever, what the hell is going on?"  
  
Hermione had a funny expression on her face. She looked as though she had a million questions on her mind, and she was unsure of what to ask first. Finally, she whispered, "What box?"  
  
Harry reached into his pocket and took out the two fragments of the box. The golden words had now been burnt black, but the eyes on the box were now glowing bright green. Hermione gasped and dropped her wand again. Trembling hands reached out for the pieces. She seemed to be afraid to touch Harry. He dropped them into her pale hands and she held them close to her face. After several minutes of scrutinizing the box, she let out a sign of relief.  
  
"I believe you, Harry Potter. See these eyes? They are the sign of the Guardian. I can't tell you how weird it is too see you. I mean, you are a feared and loathed person in this world, Harry. And I have seen you once before. That was when you killed my parents and arrested me. You look different from the young boy, you were only eleven, who killed them. He doesn't wear glasses, so he looked a lot less innocent that you. His eyes were different than yours. They were so angry, so hateful. And powerful. Not many eleven year olds can kill with magic. Oh, and if you are here to fulfill the prophesy, you don't know how happy those of us, the muggle- born, muggles and those who do not care about purity of blood, you don't know how we would rejoice! I am part of a resistance group, working tirelessly to end the Dark Lord's reign of terror. You would give us hope. If your counterpart can work such great powers of destruction, think of your powers of good!" Hermione spoke in a much lighter voice, with a crooked smile on her mouth.  
  
Harry felt an immense relief pass through him. Being in a strange world alone was one thing, but with Hermione with him, he felt much better. "Thank God you believe me. Please, I have to know, who is alive here. I need to know who works for Voldemort and my other self and who is against it. I am pretty sure who I know is trustworthy from my world, but I need to know who is the resistance against Voldemort here. Before I even try to get out of here, back to my world, I should at least try to help work against Voldemort, who is my enemy, no matter what world I am in," Harry said firmly.  
  
Hermione flinched at his name, but explained. "Well, the heads of our underground resistance are Sirius Black, Arthur Weasley, Minerva McGonagall, Alastor Moody and Severus Snape. And," she said faltering, "I think that you ought to know the boy, Ronald Weasley who you said was our best friend in your world, is my, well, boyfriend," she stopped, blushing and Harry's mouth dropped open in astonishment. "If you know their family, I am sorry. They have hidden me from those who serve the Dark Lord and sheltered me like I am family. Their twins, Frederick (Fred) and George are, well, dead. Percival (Percy) is a- a supporter of He-who-must-not-be- named. William (Bill) is working with the goblins, to try and get them to join our resistance. Charles (Charlie) works with the dragons, powerful allies if we can use them. And their daughter, Virginia is my best friend."  
  
"Ginny?" he interrupted. "How is she? Percy is a traitor? And Fred and George, dead? In my world they are so lively so mischievous, the funniest pranksters. And Ron is your boyfriend?"  
  
"How did you know Virginia's nickname? You knew the twins? They died here when they were just five," Hermione asked, puzzled. "Never mind, you can tell me later. We need to get to the Forbidden Forest, it's the only safe place left in Britain. (Harry almost laughed out loud at this.) I have a portkey that we can use to get there," she said looking at the unmoving figures of the stunned wizards.  
  
"Why didn't you use it when they had you surrounded?" Harry asked.  
  
"They were doing and anti-apparation spell, which works on portkeys as well. Come on." She held out a marble-sized silver ball. Grabbing his broomstick, he touched the ball. Hermione pushed a small button on the ball and it began clicking. The clicks grew faster and faster until Harry felt being jerked forward as though by an invisible hook. As colors and sounds blurred, from around his neck, he could make out Jai hissing, "I hate traveling by portkey."  
  
* * *  
  
Abruptly, Harry felt his feet land on solid ground. He could barely make out the sun rising over the horizon though the thick trees. Hermione grabbed his hand tentatively, though still a little wary of him. She walked to a tall thick oak tree in front of them and whispered, "Watch," she said as she tapped her wand on a particularly large knot on the tree and muttered, "Fortes fortuna paterfamilias."  
  
Suddenly, a door appeared at the bottom of the tree, big enough for a house- elf to fit in. She then handed Harry a piece of chocolate that she had taken out of her robes. "Eat," she commanded him. He didn't see why, but then after he swallowed, the world around him started to grow bigger. He was shrinking. And Jai looked huge from here. Apparently, the chocolate did not effect him and he fell so that he encircled Harry's whole body instead of just his neck. Hermione soon swallowed a piece of chocolate and she shrunk. They were now the perfect size for the door. She pulled out a silver key from her pocket and unlocked the door. They walked inside and Jai followed, the size of a basilisk from here. It was pitch black inside, but Hermione was holding his hand, tugging him further and further. After about ten minutes of walking, they reached a wall in front of them. Hermione tapped it twice and said, "Potestas est."  
  
The Harry was leaning against vanished and he fell though into an enormous room. Hermione waved her wand at herself and Harry muttering, "Finite Incantatem."  
  
They both grew back to their normal sizes. Jai slithered back around Harry's neck. Harry could now see that the room was not enormous, it was about the same size of the Gryffindor common room. In the center of the room was a worn, old circular table with about fifteen mismatched, moth- eaten seats around it. They were all empty. There was a sickly fire in the fireplace on his left. The walls were pale gray stone and embedded in them were dozens of doors. Harry realized that the Hermione was looking at him nervously. "You better wait here for me to find someone. If they see you with me in here, some people will try and kill you. Like I said, you murdered and arrested many loved ones. So I better explain to them who you are. I'll go-"  
  
She stopped, her eyes wide, staring in front of her. One of the doors was opening. Harry looked and saw a very angry looking Ginny Weasley, flaming red hair dancing in the pale firelight and her dark brown eyes looking murderous. Her wand pointed at Harry. Her mouth opened and she yelled, "Expelli-"  
  
But before she could finish, Harry instinctively had pulled out his own wand. He didn't want to hurt Ginny. He knew that she had no idea that he was not a murderer. Muttering, "Impedimenta," with his wand pointed at her, she froze, moving very slowly. His spell would only slow her down, not hurt her.  
  
Hermione gasped. "Virginia, don't attack him! It's not who you think!"  
  
Harry released Ginny from the spell. He gave Hermione his wand. Looking Ginny in the eye, he said in a slow voice, "Look, I'm unarmed. Please, let Hermione explain."  
  
Ginny's eyes were narrowed in suspicion, but she lowered her wand. She was almost hysterical. "Hermione, how could you bring him here? You know what that, that monster did to your parents? What he did to Fred and George? You've been to the camps, where they enslave muggles and muggle-borns to do physical labor! You've seen how they kill anyone who resists them and the old and the weak! How his father forces muggle women to act as prostitutes for his men? How he slaughters those who aren't fit enough for physical work! You know what he did to me, remember? How can you bring him here? How can you trust him?" she shrieked angrily.  
  
Harry was dumbstruck by what Ginny said. Camps where they enslaved muggles? Muggle prostitutes? Just like Hitler did to the Jews. "Ginny," he rasped hoarsely. "I am not the Harry Potter who did that. Listen to Hermione."  
  
Hermione started to speak, but Ginny's screaming drowned her out. "Quit calling me Ginny! I never want to hear your voice again, Harry! Why are you here, to smirk at me? You've already humiliated me, isn't that enough? I am personally going to ensure that you are killed!"  
  
Her wand was pointed at Harry again. Harry hadn't expected this. Before he could react, she screamed, "Stupefy!"  
  
Harry felt himself go rigid. Jai was hissing profanity at Ginny and that was that was the last though he had as he fell to the ground.  
  
Chapter Three: The Resistance  
  
Harry Potter lay on his dark green and silver satin bed in his castle Enis. Today he had a "day off" for his birthday. He smirked. He had left his "friend" Draco Malfoy in charge so that he could relax for once. That meant that he would spend the day with his current girlfriend. She was asleep next to him naked, her long sheet of silvery-blond hair spread against a green velvet pillow. She was breathing peacefully, with a small smile on her insanely kissable, pink lips. Harry didn't blame her. She was with Harry Potter, the second most powerful man in the world. There were benefits of being his girlfriend. Her family was promoted in the Dark Lord's ranks. They earned instant respect. Also it didn't hurt that Harry was very good-looking, in an "evil tyrant" sort of way.  
  
He kissed his girlfriend's eyelids. Her luxurious lashes opened to reveal eyes bluer that sapphires. "'Arry," she purred in a slightly French accent, "'Appy Birthday."  
  
"Morning, Fleur," Harry grinned. She was without a doubt the prettiest of all his girlfriends. Her skin glowed like moonbeams and was flawless. Her curves that showed though the sheets tended to make any man stop what they were doing and stare with mouths open. She was older that him by about four years, but she didn't seem to care that she was with teenager. She giggled as Harry kissed her lips. "I 'ad fun last night, Harry. I 'ope I gave you a nice present," she said with a coy look on her beautiful face.  
  
"It was excellent, Fleur," Harry said as he kissed her neck, making her moan. "What do you want to do today?"  
  
She looked into his emerald eyes. "Whatever you want 'Arry. I wouldn't say no to staying 'ere all day zough," she said seductively as she kissed him passionately, pushing him onto the bed.  
  
Harry's head was spinning, swirling his thoughts. Even kissing a part Veela was intoxicating. He closed his eyes to try and stop the dizzying effect she was giving him. When he opened his eyes and saw her bent over him, she was blurred and looked as thought her hair had been tinged golden-red red by the firelight. Her eyes were a dark liquid brown, instead of sky-blue. His heart stopped thumping loudly against his ribs. It stopped beating. "Ginny?" he rasped thickly.  
  
He blinked again. It was Fleur, exactly as she was suppose to be, glowing with beauty, though her eyes were giving his a hurt look. "'Oo is zis Ginny?" she hissed.  
  
Harry was furious with himself. Of course it wasn't Ginny. Harry got out of bed, throwing on a pair of dark gold robes. "No one," he muttered shortly.  
  
Fleur opened her mouth in protest, expecting an explanation. "What do you mean no one? I demand to know 'oo zis Ginny is!"  
  
In a blindingly fast movement, he had his hand on her throat, pushing her against the bed. Tears sprung into her eyes in pain and she sputtered, gasping for breath. Harry was speaking in a harsh, terrifying whisper. "Don't ever say that name again! Do you understand? Never mention it, or you and your family will be destroyed. Understand?"  
  
She whimpered, nodding her pretty head. Her face was turning blue, but Harry still held his hand tightly around her throat. Tears were flowing steadily out of her sapphire eyes. Finally, he let go. He strode out of the room, slamming the door behind him. Fleur still sat on his bed, shivering violently.  
  
Harry strode down the corridors furiously. He passed many robed men and women in the castle, but none of the talked to him, they merely moved aside so that he could pass. They all knew that to bother Harry Potter when he was annoyed was a death sentence, but when he was angry, it was worse that death. Just last week, Jacob Nott made the mistake of accidentally crashing into Harry when he was in a bad mood. Harry used the Imperius curse on him and made him slice the throats of his wife and two young daughters before making the man burn out his eyes. Needless to say, Harry was given a wide berth by everyone in the castle. He walked out onto the castle garden to the elegant, marble fountain shaped in a snake with it's jaws open with water pouring out, in the center of the garden.  
  
He made sure that no one was around him. And as he stared into the shimmering water, he let the tears fall. His thoughts remained on the only girl he had ever loved. He plunged his hand into his robes and pulled out the pendant that she had given to him. The phoenix was still glistening red and golden and it's wings flapped in an invisible breeze. Harry remembered what she had said the day she had given it to him. Promise that you love me Harry. Promise that you will leave the Dark Lord. You know that I love you, Harry, but I need to hear you say it back. Say it, Harry. Promise that your love is forever.  
  
Harry closed his eyes. He remembered how his father had found out about how he fell in love with a muggle-lover the next day. So, Harry had arrested Ginny. He threw her into the dungeons. He destroyed her, he had broken her. He had lost the only thing that he had ever loved. He heard later that she escaped, but he knew that they were finished. He knew she hated him. And he hated her as well. Life had been easy to control before he had met her. With her, he felt pity. He felt love. "Ginny," he whispered into the air, "Leave me alone. Stop haunting me."  
  
And with that, he turned to back into the castle. His tattoo of the Dark Mark was stinging. That meant that his father would be expecting him. Harry hardened his face, banishing all thoughts of Ginny Weasley and went to join his father.  
  
* * *  
  
"Enervate," a low voice muttered.  
  
Harry's blinked and everything came back into focus. He was looking into a pair of dark eyes, narrowed in concern. The face that they belonged to looked familiar, but the man's black hair was shorter and neater than how he remembered it. "Sirius?" Harry whispered.  
  
The man looked surprised that Harry knew his name but nodded, with a slight smile. Harry sat up and noticed that he was lying on a coarse bed, surrounded by group of witches and wizards. He saw Hermione and Ginny at the foot of his bed. Professor McGonagall stood next to Snape on his left, and Sirius and Mr. Weasley were on his right. Ginny spoke in a soft voice. "H-Harry," she choked, "I'm so sorry that I attacked you. Hermione told us what you told her. I want to apologize. You aren't the person I thought you were."  
  
Harry was still a little confused. "Where am I? What's going on?" he asked, looking around, and was surprised to see everyone still eying him nervously, as though he was capable of destroying four powerful, fully grown wizards. Which, on second thought, his counterpart could.  
  
"Harry," said the lady Harry called Professor McGonagall, "Hermione has told us everything that you told her, but we need to immediately have a conference. There are spare robes for you to wear. I'll expect you to be there in ten minutes. It's the door at the end of the hall on your right. And by the way, your snake went crazy after you were attacked, so we put him in a cage. He's over there," she said, pointing to a silver cage on the table on the other side of the room.  
  
And she turned on her heel. The rest of the group followed, with Ginny and Hermione on the rear. Hermione mouthed, "I'll see you soon," but Ginny bit her lip, with tears in her eyes.  
  
Harry went over to Jai and let him out of the cage and up onto his neck again. "Did you know that sssnakesss can sssenssse emotionsss, Harry Potter? Though I cannot communicate with them, I can tell what they are feeling. The female with the flame hair has been betrayed horribly and you remind her of it. The young brunette isss troubled about a boy. The othersss are mainly confusssed and a little ssscared."  
  
Harry shrugged. He took his shrunken trunk out of his pocket and returned it to it's normal size. He unlocked it and changed into a pair of green robes. He tucked his phoenix pendant under his robes, for some reason, he didn't want anyone to see it. He packed away his invisibility cloak, which had been folded at the end of his bed. Holding his wand, he walked down the empty corridor. Many doors were on either side of him, but he kept walking until he reached the one at the very end.  
  
As soon as he walked through it, he recognized it as the room that Ginny had attacked him in. Fourteen out of fifteen seats had been filled. The empty one was obviously for him. He sat down on his own shabby chair. He looked at the faces, all staring at him, some with hope, others with suspicion. He recognized most of them, on his left was Ginny and on his right was Hermione. Next to Hermione was Ron (Harry wanted to call out to him, but then realized that Ron wasn't the Ron that he knew) with his flaming red hair. He say Bill, Charlie and Mr. Weasley sitting next to each other by Ginny. The others that he recognized were Minerva McGonagall, Severus Snape, Sirius Black, Mad-Eye Moody (who he realized did not have a magical eye, but two normal ones, both narrowed in mild suspicion), Neville Longbottom and he nearly cried out loud when he saw a tall, handsome boy with a straight nose and gray eyes. It was Cedric Diggory. Harry then realized that Cedric hadn't been killed in this world.  
  
There were two women that Harry didn't know. One was sitting next to Neville, a tall witch with hazel eyes, just like Neville's. The other was an unusual looking woman. She wasn't wearing robes, but a tight, artfully ripped bright violet sleeveless shirt which matched her eye color exactly. Her long, strait hair was jet black, but it had violent green streaks in it. She had at least ten piercing in each ear, one through her nose and another in her right eyebrow. She had thick eyeliner and bright green eye shadow that matched her hair. Vivid, colorful tattoos wound around her arms, hiding so much of her skin that at first, Harry thought that she was wearing a long sleeve shirt under her violet one.  
  
Snape cleared his throat. "As you all know, this is Harry Potter. He is not however then one that we have been working against tirelessly. Minerva has already explained his situation. It concerns the mixing of worlds. Many of you, as myself, are skeptical of the branch of magic known as divination, but this happens to fit in perfectly with the prophesy of the Chosen Ones. For those of you who are not familiar with this prediction, I will now have Fiona explain."  
  
The lady sitting next to Neville spoke, "Over a thousand years ago, the school of Hogwarts was founded by the four greatest witches and wizards of the age. The man who founded the Slytherin House, Salazar Slytherin, is known by many as the greatest diviner ever to walk the earth. Ten years after he left Hogwarts, due to his arguments with the other three founders, he vanished. There was not a trace left of him. Before he disappeared, he had one last prophesy. It was that there was a Guardian, a keeper of time. There are many other dimensions besides ours, all based on choices that we make. For example, Harry Potter was adopted as the Dark Lord's heir in this world. You have seen the consequences of this. However, in this young man's world," she said, looking at Harry, "the Dark Lord tried to kill him. You can see the curse scar on his head. According to him, life is much better there. Dumbledore is still alive. Hogwarts is not broken. And You-know- who's powers were broken the night the Dark Lord tried to kill him. And Harry, as you can see is almost certainly not evil."  
  
"Anyway, Slytherin goes on to tell of this Guardian, who had the power to take someone out of their own world and put them into another. Who or what the Guardian is, however is unknown. And why the Guardian would take someone out of their world is a mystery. Some say that it is for it's amusement, our lives are a play or to book for it entertain itself with. Others think it is to help bring good back into a world. No matter what the reason, the Guardian does it. It is believed that Salazar Slytherin himself was taken by the Guardian, although there have been rumors over the years of others who have disappeared. These people taken by the Guardian are the Chosen Ones. We do not know if you can be returned to your world after the Guardian has taken you out of it," she paused, looking at Harry, "but it is safe to assume that it will be impossible for you to ever return to your world."  
  
Harry blinked. Never. Never return to Hogwarts? Never see the Weasley twins again. Never see Dumbledore. Harry was even sad that he would never see the Dursleys again. Alastor Moody was speaking now, in a gruff growl. "Potter, am I right in thinking that you are going to help us? You know what the Dark Lord did to your parents in your world? What's going on now is hundreds of times worse. Our resistance groups are pathetic. We lack power. Your counterpart and the Dark Lord each have more power than all the people you see at this table combined. I don't know if you have power, Potter, but if you could survive the Dark Lord's curse and absorb some of his powers, we might have a chance. From what I understand, you're also parselmouth. Your counterpart is not one. Now, I need to hear your honest answer, will you help us?"  
  
Every eye was now on Harry. "Voldemort murdered my parents. He murdered a good many people who I love and care about," he said, looking at Cedric, "In my world or in any world, no living force on earth would stop me from doing everything in my power to stop him. I personally don't like the idea of killing anyone, or hurting, but I feel that Voldemort deserves every shred of pain that he caused to others time ten. I used to pity the man called Tom Riddle, but I know that he is not a man anymore. He is evil. And I will stop him, if not in this life, then in the next."  
  
Silence fell over the room. Harry felt a little uncomfortable, with all the eyes on him, but before anyone could speak, an immense, unearthly music was piping throughout the room. Through one of the open windows in the ceiling flew in a magnificent golden and scarlet bird, with a long, beautiful tail. It was a phoenix. It encircled the room before gracefully landing on Harry's shoulder. "Fawkes?" Harry whispered, amazed.  
  
Fawkes let out a long quivering note. Harry pet him, stroking his luxurious feathers. Fawkes had been Dumbledore's bird. It seemed to like Harry and did not move from his shoulder. Jai, however, was hissing angrily. "Do you know what that isss? A bird and a sssnake are alwaysss great enemiesss."  
  
Harry whispered to Jai. "Don't be silly. Fawkes wouldn't hurt you, if you are on my side. Didn't you know that my wand core comes from him?"  
  
Jai did not seem convinced. "And ssso did the Dark Lord'sss. Oh dear. I think that you are ssscaring the other mortalsss." Jai muttered.  
  
Harry looked at the other people, all looking at the snake, Harry and the phoenix. Minerva McGonagall spoke first. "Harry, isn't that Dumbledore's phoenix? Fawkes? I remember him flying away after mourning Dumbledore. How did you call him back?"  
  
"Yeah, he was Dumbledore's phoenix. I thought that you might want to know that my wand core comes from Fawkes. And so does Voldemort's. That is why we cannot duel properly against each other. You know, Priori Incantatem. Anyway, I don't know exactly why he's here, but Fawkes has always helped me when I needed him most. Maybe he knows that I will need his help or something." Harry guessed.  
  
Arthur Weasley spoke now. "So you can speak parselmouth. What was your snake saying?" he asked curiously.  
  
Harry smiled at Mr. Weasley. "Jai, my snake, was a bit afraid of Fawkes. He says that birds and snakes are always enemies."  
  
Sirius now questioned Harry. "If you cannot duel with your counterpart or the Dark Lord, how will you fight them? I mean, you can deal with the other Death Eaters, but what's the point if you cannot deal with those two?"  
  
Harry wasn't sure what the answer to that was. The lady with the tattoos and many piercings talked in a loud American accent. "Well, if he's anything like our Harry Potter, he must be a helluva flyer. (Harry grinned at this.) Also, there are certain types of magic that don't require the use of a wand. Animagus, for example," she said looking at Sirius and McGonagall. "Also, resistance of curses is important. It's best he tries to learns to throw off the Imperius curse. Learning to conjure a Patronus would be useful as well. He needs to know how to use the Imperius, Cruciatus and Avada Kedavra."  
  
Harry nervously spoke up. "Er, I already know how to throw off the Imperius curse. And I can conjure a Patronus. But, er, aren't those the Unforgivable curses? Aren't they dark magic?"  
  
The table was quiet. At last Ron Weasley spoke. "How do you expect to defeat them if you don't have the powers that they have? All of us have the capability to use them. They are no longer unforgivable. The people that we will use them against deserve it."  
  
Harry was still stubborn. "I refuse to learn them. I can hold my own without dark magic."  
  
Ron and everyone else looked uncomfortable. Finally Neville spoke. "I agree with Harry. It's not right for us to follow in their footsteps. My dad would have agreed with Harry."  
  
Then Fiona, the lady who had Neville's eyes embraced him. "My son is right. I don't think that Harry should learn them either. My husband would be proud of him for standing up for you Harry."  
  
Harry stared at Fiona. She was Neville's mother. Both of Neville's parents were insane in Harry's world. Apparently, this had not happened in this world. In the end, Harry's curiosity won. "Um, Mrs. Longbottom, what happened to your husband?"  
  
She smiled at Harry. "He died a hero's death. Fighting against the Dark Lord to save myself and Neville. He saved us."  
  
In the end, everyone agreed that Harry did not have to learn the Unforgivable curses. Minerva said, "I'll teach you to become an Animagus. Of course we don't have any books, so I'll have to try and teach you from my memory-"  
  
Harry interrupted. "Um, actually, Sirius gave me a book on becoming an Animagus for my birthday. It's up in my trunk."  
  
Hermione spoke in a quick excited voice. "You have books? How many?"  
  
Harry grinned. Hermione loved books in his world. "I have all my books from my first year to my fourth year and also a Chudley Cannons book, besides my Animagus book."  
  
Now everyone was looking at him with beaming smiles. Hermione voiced what they all were thinking. "Brilliant, Harry. See, You-know-who confiscated or destroyed all of books he could get his hands on. He was smart. We can't build up much resistance if we can't learn any new spells or how to make potions or whatever. This is great. That's what I was doing when you saved me from those Death Eaters. I was trying to steal some books. Except, they caught me."  
  
It was arranged that Harry would give all of his books away so that they could be copied and distributed throughout the resistance groups. As soon as that was settled, the witch with the green streaked hair spoke. "I can work with him on resistance to curses. If he can throw off the Imperius and Avada Kedavra fails to kill him, I see no reason why I can't try teach him to resist the Cruciatus. I'm sure I read somewhere that it is possible to throw it off."  
  
Harry gulped. He remembered what the Cruciatus curse felt like. Charlie Weasley noticed Harry's fear. "Oh really Lyzria, you're scaring the boy."  
  
Fawkes sung a quiet note into Harry's ear. "No, she's right. I should at least try to learn to throw it off. It would be really helpful if I did learn to throw it off, " Harry said firmly.  
  
It was settled. As soon as Harry was an Animagus, they would strike against the Dark Lord with all they could muster. And until that happened, he would learn resistance and as many new spells as possible. Harry had a question though. "How many witches and wizards do we have and how many do they have?"  
  
Snape looked grim. "At best, with all the resistance groups in the England, including America and Australia, our biggest allies, we might be a thousand witches and wizards. Probably we'll get a thousand centaurs and a thousand goblins. Charlie here thinks we might get the last three dragons in Britain. The Dark Lord destroyed all of the others and the dragons want revenge. The Dark's Lord's army is in control of almost fifty thousand witches and wizards over the world. But in Britain he has five thousand witches and wizards. They've got a 300 dementors (Harry shuddered), 100 giants, 150 Veela, 200 werewolves, and a 300 vampires. The odds are against us, I know, but we won't attack in open spaces. Our strategy is hit and run. Also, without Harry Potter and the Dark Lord, they are a snake without a head. If we can destroy them, we stand a good chance. The only others in his ranks with real power are the Malfoys, Crouch and the Lestranges. The rest will be easily defeated."  
  
Harry now felt disbelief. The resistance were heavily out numbered. Fawkes let out a high pitched note. Harry forgot his fear, forgot his sense of being overwhelmed. "All right. Let's start my training."  
  
Chapter Four: Harry, the Animagus  
  
Harry Potter was sitting at what felt like his millionth lesson by Lyzria Waters. Fawkes and Jai were in a corner of the empty room, watching. They seemed to actually get along. Jai no longer complained about birds and snakes being enemies. Also, they both insisted that the go everywhere with Harry. At least Jai did. Fawkes just followed Harry.  
  
Lyzria seemed to have taken a liking to Harry, being dead impressed with his progress in her curses and curse resistance lessons. He had leaned to throw off the Pain curse easily, a curse which inflicted mild pain, like a bee stings all over your body. The trick was to know that the pain was only in your mind, it wasn't real. It was magically induced. To break the pain, you have to separate your body and mind. This was advanced magic, it required the use of the Terminus charm. You had to have enough strength to use the spell while in great pain. If done correctly, for a few seconds, your mind would drift away, free of pain, from your body, then return. When your mind returned, the pain would not return.  
  
Lyzria had decided that Harry was ready for the Cruciatus curse, as he had conquered the Pain spell in less than a week. She ran her long painted fingers through her vivid hair. "Now Harry, don't worry. I know that there have been wizards and witches who have done this before. It's not like you are the test trial. Just try your best, okay? If this doesn't work, we'll have to stop trying to learn this. Just remember, say, "Terminus," and concentrate on separating your body from your mind," Lyzria said in a confident voice.  
  
To be honest, Harry was afraid of having the Cruciatus curse put on him, but he felt steady determination to at least try. If others had done it before him, that meant it couldn't be impossible. "Er- okay. I'm ready," Harry said nervously, gripping his wand tightly.  
  
"Crucio!" Lyzria cried.  
  
Harry felt as though every part of his body had caught on fire, inside him and out. Blunt knives were stabbing him everywhere. He wanted to cry out, he wanted to die, but somewhere in the back of his head, a little voice was screaming, "Terminus!"  
  
And then, he was floating away, his pain had evaporated. He saw his body lying on the ground. His body had stopped twitching. His body was still holding his wand in a death grip. Lyzria was wiping sweat and tears from her eyes. Her mascara and eye shadow were running. Harry saw her mouth open slowly. "Hhhhhhaaaaaarrrrrrryyyyy!" she said in a slow, echoing voice. His mind was floating back to his body and soon, they had connected back to one another.  
  
As soon as his mind and body had reconnected, Harry felt wide awake. Adrenaline was coursing through his veins. All his pain was gone. He sat up with a broad grin on his face. He had beaten the Cruciatus curse. "Well, I did it!" Harry said, practically jumping with joy. Ever since he first felt the Cruciatus curse, he had known that death was better than pure pain. But now, he could defeat the pain.  
  
Lyzria was wiping tears from her face. "Oh my God, Harry! You did it! Oh my God!" If Harry had felt happy after beating the curse, he was nothing compared to Lyzria Waters. She was dancing around the room, her many piercings jingling, clapping her hands singing, "He did it!" at the top of her lungs.  
  
"What's the big deal, Lyzria? Am I like the youngest to ever do it or something?" said Harry, amazed at his teacher's incredible joy.  
  
She calmed down a little bit and stood by Harry, though her feet were still doing a little victory dance. "Well Harry, I have a confession," she said with a broad violet smile, "I lied. I have never heard of a person who could throw off the Cruciatus curse. In fact, I've read about a thousand times that it is impossible to throw it off because the pain is too great. I'm sorry that I sacrificed you as my guinea pig, but you could do the Pain spell so easily and quickly that I decided to try and prove everyone wrong. I have a long experience that if people thought something was possible, they could do it. And I was right!" she shrieked with joy.  
  
Harry was stunned. He was the first? Lyzria had gone back to dancing and singing around the room in her loud, American accent. Fawkes soared over and settled himself on Harry's shoulder. Jai slithered up Harry's leg and back around his neck. The classroom door burst open. Ginny and Hermione stood there in shock at Lyzria's behavior. "We were in the room on the left and we heard loud noises. What happened to her?" Hermione asked. "Did you do a Cheering charm on her?"  
  
"Er- no. She's just really happy," said Harry with a small smile.  
  
Lyzria skipped over to Ginny and Hermione. "Guess what!" she said showing all of her white teeth. "Guess what Harry can do!"  
  
Ginny and Hermione just looked even more puzzled. "Isn't he supposed to be learning to resist the Pain curse?" Ginny said slowly.  
  
"He- He, well, he can tell you, I have to dance some more!" she grinned and began singing, "He did it!" again.  
  
Both of the girls looked at Harry. "Well, I could resist the Pain curse pretty easily, so she decided to try the Cruciatus curse. She told me that she had heard of other wizards and witches who could do it, so I tried. And I could throw it off. I just did."  
  
The girl's mouths dropped open. Before they could speak, Harry finished. "And it turns out, she was lying. It's supposed to be impossible to throw off the Cruciatus curse. She hasn't ever heard of someone who could throw it off. That's why she's so happy. Because she was right."  
  
Hermione spoke in a stern voice. "That was really dangerous. What if you had gotten hurt?"  
  
"Well I didn't," Harry said firmly. "Besides, what were you doing in the room on the left? That's my room!"  
  
Both Hermione and Ginny turned bright red. Ginny mumbled, "Um, Minerva wanted us to tell you that's she's expecting you at five for your animagus lesson."  
  
Harry was unconvinced. "You know that I'm in here from eleven to four. Why were you in my room?"  
  
Hermione was squirming uncomfortably. "Okay, we're sorry. We were looking in your trunk We wanted to know about your world. We wanted to know what it's like. So we, er, read your letters."  
  
"What!" Harry demanded furiously. "You read my letters?"  
  
Ginny stuck her chin out defiantly. "Yes. We have. So are you going to tell us about your world or not?"  
  
Lyzria was still dancing around the room. She probably wouldn't mind if Harry left an hour early. Harry looked at both of the girls. They both had big hopeful eyes. "All right," Harry finally said. "Let's go to my room."  
  
And they walked out the door into Harry's room. They all sat down on Harry's bed. "Well, I don't know exactly where to start. I guess it begins with my parents dying and my survival of Voldemort's curse. I went to live my aunt and uncle, they were muggles..."  
  
* * *  
  
Two hours later, Harry was still talking to Hermione and Ginny. Finally, he finished, his voice hoarse. "Wow, life is so wonderful there," Hermione said dreamily.  
  
Ginny shook her head, her red ringlets bouncing. "It's different, not wonderful. You heard Harry. Cedric is dead there, Herm. And the Longbottoms are in St. Mungo's. Voldemort's just risen. But you are right. It would be wonderful to live there," Ginny whispered wistfully.  
  
Harry looked on the clock on the wall. "Jesus! I have to go to my animagus lesson!" he said in surprise and ran out the door. "See you guys later!"  
  
Harry ran down the hall, up two fights of stairs and through a long corridor before he found the room that McGonagall was using as a classroom. "You're late, Harry," she said crisply. "Lyzria Waters informed me of you achievement today. Congratulations," she said with a rare smile.  
  
"Um, thanks," Harry said.  
  
"Now, have you been practicing your exercises?" she asked sternly.  
  
Harry nodded. Minerva McGonagall was having him do exercises to help him with his animagus transformations. He had to practice be using his mind to force himself to change his physical appearance. First it was making his fingernails and hair longer, then bringing them back to their normal size. Lately he was tuning his skin and eyes different colors, or removing his scar from his appearance. "Okay, grow an extra arm," she said quickly.  
  
Harry close his eyes, concentrating with all this might, focusing on growing another arm, out of his chest. He felt something sprout out of his robes. A muscular arm with a hands that ended in sharp talons had sprouted out of his chest. It waved at McGonagall. "Good," she muttered. "Now take it away."  
  
Harry closed his eyes again, concentrating on how his body normally looked. This was easier than changing his appearance. In half a second, he looked normal again. "Excellent. Now, you have progressed very quickly. I managed my animagus transformation in six months. (Harry was impressed. It had taken Sirius and his father years.) I will be very surprised if you do not finish within another week. It took me four months to get to where you are. You are the fastest I have ever seen. You have taken less than three weeks to get to this stage. Four weeks is remarkable! Amazing really," she said grinning.  
  
Harry was in shock for the second time that day. "I'll be done in a week? But, I haven't even done animals yet! I don't even know what I'll be!"  
  
McGonagall looked distracted. "Oh, yes. That's the easy part. We'll give you a potion that chooses what animal you are most like. This was the hard part. You know, getting your body to transform. But you've aced it. The potion will turn you into that animal and from then on, it should get easier and easier to transform. The more you do it, the better you get. I'll have to tell Severus to start on the potion, he wasn't expecting to do this for at least another four months. Well, keep practicing those exercises. I'll call you back when Severus has the potion ready. I must go find him."  
  
"But what am I suppose to do until then?" Harry asked. Animagus lessons usually were from five to seven at night. "I'm done with my Pain resistance lessons as well!"  
  
Minerva looked thoughtful then said, "You have a sword, Potter? Virginia Weasley has a knack for sword fighting. She can instruct you on that. She'll try and teach you something as a surprise for the Dark Lord and his son," McGonagall said smiling grimly.  
  
* * *  
  
Swords were flashing, the silver light casting light and shadow onto the walls of the room. Harry blinked sweat out of his eyes. His opponent looked as cool as a cucumber, her sword dancing easily and smoothly. Harry struck as quickly and as skillfully as he could, but she merely deflected all of his attempts. Eventually, after the duel had been going on for at least an hour, Ginny stepped back, a funny look on her face. She put her sword back into her scabbard and Harry did the same with his. "You are incredible Harry. I haven't a fight like this since, well never mind. Good job."  
  
She turned to open the door so she could leave. Harry caught her hand before she left. He remembered what Jai had said about Ginny. The female with the flame hair has been betrayed horribly and you remind her of it. Ginny looked back at Harry, her brown eyes filled with tears. "Harry betrayed you, didn't he," Harry said in a statement, rather than a question.  
  
Ginny flinched. She nodded reluctantly. "What did he do?" Harry asked quietly.  
  
She sat down on the cold stone floor, pulling Harry down with her. Harry was suddenly aware that their faces were only inches apart. He couldn't help but notice her soft lips and her freckles dusted on the bridge of her nose and cheeks. She blinked, a small tear escaping from her brown eyes. Harry raised his hand to her cheek and wiped the tear away. It was as though an electric current and shot through him like wild fire. Their eyes connected and tears were streaming out of her eyes. She whispered in a quiet voice, so quiet that Harry had to lean even closer.  
  
"It was a year ago. His best friend had arrested me. But before his best friend could hand me over to the camps, I met Harry. He let me stay with him secretly. I loved him more than anything else in the world. And I thought that he loved me too. We kissed, we laughed, we lived in bliss. He taught me how to sword fight. He was the only person who called me Ginny instead of Virginia. That's why I blew up at you when you first arrived with Hermione.  
  
"And then, I was ready to confess my love to him. I gave him a pendant, an amulet and I asked him to promise to love me. I swore to him of my love, but he never answered. He left, claiming that his father was calling him. The next day, I was brought before all of the people in his castle. It was horrible. They called me all sorts of terrible things. Bitch. Slut. Whore. Muggle-lover. And Harry publicly announced that he was placing me under arrest and throwing me into prison. He jeered at the fact that I loved him. He announced to the crowd that I had confessed my love to him. And he laughed at me. As though it amused him. And he threw me into his dungeons with a broad smirk on his smug face. I escaped with Hermione about three months later. She is the only other one who knows. And that is why I hate that fucking bastard."  
  
Harry just sat there, deep in though. It was so cruel. Ginny had been broken. Slowly, Harry leant forward and brought his lips over Ginny's. Tenderly, he gave her a quick kiss, then pulled away. He closed his eyes, kicking himself mentally. Ginny wouldn't want him to do this. She wouldn't want him when his other self had hurt her so much. To his surprise, he felt soft lips upon his. He opened his eyes and saw Ginny's bright eyes, still shining with tears, looking into his. He carefully placed his arms around the back of her neck, pulling her closer. Now, they were no longer gentle. Ginny was kissing him harder and harder, pressing her body onto his so that he was against the wall. Her tongue was probing his, tasting him with raw lust. It was as though she was kissing him to hurt him, to prove to the other Harry that she had moved on. Harry's mouth found his way to her neck, kissing roughly.  
  
Suddenly, the door flew open. Severus Snape was standing there with a stunned look on his pale face. Harry and Ginny struggled to get off one another, Ginny straightening her robes. They both had turned bright red. They looked at each other guiltily, though the both were wearing inner smile that their eyes betrayed. Snape cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Mr. Potter, the Animagus potion is ready. Miss Weasley, if you want to come you may do so."  
  
The two teens silently followed Snape, though their hands hand found each others. Soon they reached Snape's cavernous laboratory. On a table in the middle of the room was a fizzing magenta potion that kept swirling on it's own. Minerva McGonagall, Sirius, Moody, Charlie Weasley and Hermione were already there. Snape walked over to the table and handed the warm potion to Harry. Harry looked at it apprehensively, then swallowed it in three large gulps. It potion tasted like liquid fire, almost metallic tasting.  
  
Instantly, Harry became aware that his body was changing. He was growing rapidly, the people below him were shrinking to the size of action figures. The laboratory was too small for him, he filled up every inch, knocking over Snape's shelves and ingredients. He was vaguely aware that the people had retreated out of the room and into the hallway. Harry wondered if something had gone wrong with his transformation. His vision was sharpened and he looked down at his body. He gave out a shout of shock, but it came out as an earsplitting roar. The body he was looking down at was jet black with a silvery tinge. His hands were deadly sharp claws. His back had bronze spikes ending in a long tail with enormous, deadly spikes. He twisted his long, snakelike head around and saw enormous leathery black wings had sprouted on his back. He recognized what he was. It was something that he had once feared.  
  
From on the ground, Harry heard Hermione shriek, "Oh my God! He's a Hungarian Horntail!"  
  
That brought Harry back to his senses. He closed his eagle sharp dragon eyes. He concentrated on his own body. When he opened his eyes, everything seemed much duller, less sharp. Ginny ran up to him and hugged him tightly, burying her face in Harry's robes. Sirius, McGonagall, Snape, Moody and Hermione were all scowling, but Charlie gave Harry a big grin. Harry turned to Ginny and asked, "What's wrong with them?"  
  
Ginny giggled. "McGonagall, Moody, Black, Hermione and Charlie all placed bets on what animal you'd end up being. McGonagall thought a phoenix, Moody was convinced you were a snake, Black thought that you'd be a lion, Hermione said falcon and Charlie said a dragon."  
  
Harry grinned. "Why's Snape mad?"  
  
Charlie winked at Harry. "Because you destroyed his laboratory, you twit. Anyway, I had a bit of help. After you arrived, the dragons told me that another dragon had arrived in England. They can sense each other, see? Oh, this is great. You realize that Horntails can shoot flames from fifty feet away? Well congratulations, Harry. I'd better tell the dragons that I found out who this mysterious dragon was."  
  
Charlie ran out of the room, muttering to himself. Sirius stood in front of everyone. "Well, now that Harry is an animagus, it's time to stike out against the Dark Lord. With every day that passes, he grows in power, as does his son. I know where to strike, we need to release muggle-born witches and wizards. We need more people in our resistance. Now, here's the plan..."  
  
* * *  
  
Harry Potter sat at the Death Eater meeting, extremely bored. Robert Avery was going on and on about something to do about the fascinating way the Dark Lord's power had spread in some tiny country in South America. His father was not present. His father had not been present to any meetings since he had summoned Harry to him on Harry's birthday. His father had informed him that one of his spies had discovered a parselmouth wizard who looked just like Harry who was working with the resistance. His father was determined to find out all that he could about this mysterious wizard.  
  
Harry thought absently about Charlotte Ware, his new girlfriend. Fleur was pretty, but Harry was sick of her. Charlotte wasn't as pretty, though she did have her own brand of good looks. She had shoulder-length auburn hair and intelligent, cunning olive green eyes. Harry knew that she was smart, a very clever witch. Also, Harry had always liked reddish hair.  
  
"You will do that, won't you my Lord?"  
  
Harry was suddenly aware that Lucius Malfoy was talking to him. "Oh, um, yeah. Of course I'll do that."  
  
"Right then, meeting is over," Lucius said, and the Death Eaters all left Harry except one.  
  
Harry's best friend Draco was smirking at him. "You have no idea what my father just asked you to do, huh?"  
  
Harry laughed unpleasantly. "And if you don't tell me, I'll use your intestines to make a lovely new scarf."  
  
Draco looked a little scared for a moment, then realized that Harry was being sarcastic. "You have to go out to some camp for mudbloods now. Apparently, they aren't being very obedient. More and more of them have been escaping to join the rebels. So father wants you to go and scare them. You know, make an example of what will happen if they catch someone running away. Give them a classic Harry Potter demonstration," Draco finished, with a twisted smile.  
  
Harry grinned now. "Okay, I'll do it. But you're coming with me, Draco. We can have some fun with these mudbloods."  
  
And with a pop, they had Disapparated.  
  
Chapter Five: Attack of the Dragon  
  
Ginny, Harry and Hermione were hiding under Harry's invisibility cloak at the muggle-born camp. Harry could see the ragged, dirty faces of the muggle- borns, all devoid of hope. He recognized some of them, all doing physical work, some of them sick and dying. Harry saw Justin Finch-Fletchley, Dennis Creevey and Penelope Clearwater, both looking very thin and pale. A group of about fifteen wizards were standing guard, all of them armed with a wand. They were wearing the same robes, black with a symbol of the Dark Mark on the top left of their robes.  
  
They were muttering to each other now, but Harry had seen them put hexes and curses on some of the muggle-borns for fun, smirking to each other. Harry saw a muggle-born around his age fall down, gasping for breath. Her skin was deadly pale, from lack of food and sleep. One of the wizards, a strong-looking man with thick hands laughed maliciously. Harry recognized him, it was Macnair. He walked over to the frail girl and roughly pulled her back up to her feet. The other muggle-borns looked away. They knew what was coming. When she swayed dangerously, unable to keep balanced, the man pulled out his wand. She opened her mouth in a silent scream of terror. "Too lazy to work, you mudblood bitch? You know what the Dark Lord does to mudbloods who don't have a use?" he snarled.  
  
The young girl whimpered. The man bent closer to her, whispering. "He has two words for them. Avada Kedavra!"  
  
And with the swish of his wand, there was a flash of green light and the sound of rushing death. The young girl fell down, dead before she hit the ground. Harry felt a rage rise in him. He felt his wand in his hand and he wanted to attack all of them, to destroy all of them. Hermione and Ginny were whispering frantically for him to stay, to wait until Sirius and the others arrived. He paid no attention. He slipped from out of the cloak to face Macnair. Macnair and the other wizards dropped to their knees, murmuring, "My Lord."  
  
Harry didn't even think about transforming. He was aware that Macnair no longer looked muscular and threatening. He looked small and puny, with a look of panic on his twisted face. Harry let out a scream of anger, a scream of pure fury and hatred. As the scream left his jaws, full of razor sharp teeth, it came out as an enraged shriek of the dragon that was Harry. His eyes were the same living green that they were in his human form, and they were staring at the Death Eaters with anger, spiraling out of control. Harry was aware that Hermione and Ginny were leading the muggle-borns out of the way so that it would be clear for Harry.  
  
It was a quick fight. The wizards tried all the spells they could, but they all were deflected off of Harry's scaly hide. Harry had never tried to blow out fire in his dragon form before, but it was like flying, something that Harry was born knowing how to do. The green and gold fire engulfed the wizards, destroying them all. And he saw them all burn. It wasn't pretty, their skin turning red, blistering, before bursting into flames and their hair curling in the intense heat, then smoking as it caught fire like straw. Their eyes were sizzling, bubbling in the heat, staring at Harry from within the flames.  
  
Harry had returned to his human form and he vomited. Ginny ran up to him and was startled to see tears in Harry's eyes. She wiped his tears and stroked one tapered finger along his jaw and hugged him close. Harry was choking words out. "I... I have never killed anyone before. I was so... so angry, I wanted to hurt them. I shouldn't have lost my temper, I should have waited for Sirius and the others. I... I need to be alone, Ginny. Take the muggle-borns to safety with Hermione. I'll be at the hideout later. Trust me."  
  
Harry turned away from her worried face and strode off into the dark forest behind him, leaving the girl who loved him staring at his retreating back.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry Potter and Draco Malfoy Apparated with a pop and looked at the muggle- born camp. It was in ruins. Bodies of wizards loyal to the Dark Lord were strewn everywhere. The buildings and tents were all burning with a magical fire, yellow-green and gold. And the muggle-borns were gone. All of them were gone. Harry cursed and pulled out his wand. Draco did the same. Draco voiced exactly what Harry was thinking, "What the hell happened?"  
  
Harry bent towards a half-dead wizard who was lying near them. His left arm had been burnt off and he had severe burns all over his left side. His breathing was in harsh, ragged breaths, as each one caused him a stab of pain. Harry spoke in a fierce, cold voice. "What happened?"  
  
The man, blood seeping from his broken body, whispered, "Mudbloods... escape... Harry Potter... too powerful... animagus... Dra-dragon... fire... burning... dead... so many dead..."  
  
And the wizard was put out of his pain, his eyes rolling back in his head. Harry stood up, looking at Draco. Draco instinctively took a step back. Harry Potter was someone to be feared, someone not to trifle with. And now his green eyes were blazing furiously. His mouth was set, determined. His body almost was glowing with a tangible power, and Draco was, though he would never admit it, terrified of his Lord. Harry spoke, harshly articulating every syllable, more power radiating out of him with each word. "I will find these rebels. I will wipe them out. All of them. They will regret very much for messing with this Harry Potter."  
  
And Harry waved his wand, and a billowing thunderstorm was conjured. The black clouds were growing larger and larger, crackling with electricity inside. Wind was whipping his and Draco's hair helter-skelter. Waving his wand again, Harry spoke, "Fluvius," and it was as thought the heavens had opened up. Silvery water was released from the cloud in huge sheets. It was as thought the cloud was hiding a waterfall in it's midst. After about five minutes of the downpour, all of the lingering traces of the magical fire had disappeared, Harry banished the cloud, lightning striking in it's wake.  
  
Harry was dry somehow, while Draco was drenched. With his black cloak flying out behind him and the wind ruffling his wild, black hair, he turned to Draco, the anger in his eyes still burning, almost giving off a heat. "It's time I have a little chat with my father. You warn the others about this outrage. I will find my father. Go," he spoke quietly, but Draco caught every word, even through the roaring wind. Harry Apparated, and Draco stood there for a moment before Apparating back to the castle, still shaking from his Lord's wrath. He smirked. He didn't fancy being the person who was behind this. Whoever it was, he were as good as dead.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry was wandering on a barren, white, boulder-strewn plain, not looking at where he was going or what time it was. He, Harry Potter, had killed someone. He couldn't shake the image of their bodies in the fire, their hissing, lifeless eyes staring out at him. They weren't just dead because of him, like Cedric, but he was what killed them. He was only fifteen and he had killed people. What would his father or Dumbledore think of him?  
  
Harry stopped walking, and sat down on the ground, burying his face in his hands, his eyes burning with shame and fury. Harry began to shiver, trembling with emotions that he had never felt this strongly before. He stared at the ground, trying to think of something else, anything else. Then, his scar began to sting.  
  
A soft voice to his left, jerked him out of his trance. "Hello, boy."  
  
Harry jerked his head and saw a tall man standing there, appearing out of thin air. Harry didn't recognize him, but he looked vaguely familiar. He looked about fifty, with jet black hair, with tinges of silver on the sides. His eyes were bright, electric turquoise. He was a handsome man, and he was staring intently at Harry.  
  
Harry stood up abruptly, wand out. He didn't want to find himself in a situation where he couldn't get to his wand. Harry squinted at him, trying to recognize him, but he still couldn't place where he had seen this man before. His throat tight with suspicion, Harry talked in a loud, clear voice. "Who are you?"  
  
The man smiled, yet his eyes glittered coldly. "I should ask the same of you, boy."  
  
He took a step closer to Harry, and Harry stood his ground, not moving. He wasn't going to let this man intimidate him. Harry, for some reason, felt panic rising in his chest. His instincts were telling him to run, to run away from this man. But Harry wasn't a coward. He was going to find out who he was. "I'll ask you one more time before I attack," Harry said slowly, "Who are you?"  
  
Something flashed in the man's eyes, and Harry struggled to place it. Was it fear, anger or amusement? Harry couldn't tell. The man was smiling even broader now, showing a mouthful of even, white teeth. "You may call me Tom, but the reason I was looking for you, boy, is to find out who are you?"  
  
It clicked in Harry's mind. Harry recognized the eyes, the tall handsome man here was none other than, "T-Tom Riddle?"  
  
The man stopped smiling. "How is it that you know that name, boy?" he hissed, his eyes growing in anger, flashing red and his face glowing with power. Harry's scar stung fiercely, springing tears into his eyes. "How did you know that name, boy? Why are you impersonating my son?"  
  
Harry was panicking. He didn't know why threw him off the most, probably the fact that Voldemort looked so human. In his world, he was a monster, but this Voldemort was younger-looking, and handsome. Harry though that Voldemort was supposed to be in his eighties or nineties. Harry's head wanted to escape, but his feet were glued to the ground by his heart.  
  
"Murderer," Harry, hissed, not aware that he was speaking in parseltongue, for Voldemort was not a human, he was a snake. "You killed my parents. I vowed that I would avenge them, Voldemort."  
  
The pain in Harry's scar vanished abruptly. Voldemort blinked. There was something in his eyes that Harry never could have imagined seeing on the face of Voldemort. It almost looked like he was looking down on Harry lovingly, his face was screwed in concern. "Harry? Wh-who told you that? I told you, it is a lie. The Potter's aren't really your parents, they hated you. They wanted you to die so I saved you from them, Harry. I saved you so that you could be my son," Tom Riddle said quietly, not in the cold voice that Harry was used to, but a voice shaking with emotion.  
  
Harry suddenly understood why his counterpart stood by Voldemort's side as his proud son and heir. Voldemort loved him. Harry wouldn't have though it possible, but he saw the look in Voldemort's eyes that he had tried to banish. "You liar!" Harry was hissing again. "You lied to Harry! I know why you killed them, to get to Harry. They didn't hate him. They loved him! Why did you do that TOM MARVOLO RIDDLE? Why did you kill his parents?"  
  
Tom was now looking at Harry in anger, then realization crossed over Tom's intelligent face. Harry's scar was burning worse than ever. "You are not my son. You are not Harry Potter. My son cannot speak parseltongue. My son does not know that I killed the Potters and he does not know my birth name. My son does not have an ugly scar across his head. You were talking about my son in third person. And if you hurt a hair on my son's head, I will torture you until you beg me to put you out of your misery."  
  
Harry looked at him defiantly, despite the throbbing ache in his scar. "You're right," he said, cold fury in every syllable. "I'm not your son. But I don't deny that I am Harry Potter. I swore to myself that I would kill you for what you did to them. To my parents. Do you hear them when you sleep? Hear her pleading to take her instead? Hear him begging her to run with me? Hear your voice, and the words that killed them? Your cruel laughter? Well, Tom Riddle, we have a score to settle."  
  
Voldemort was looking at Harry with amusement, giving his scar an extra burst of pain. "Yes, I remember it with pleasure. Your parent's were both idiots. They were brave, I'll give them that, but them were also incredibly stupid. Especially your mudblood mother. She did not have to die. I was going to kill your father no matter what, but she could have lived. Your parents were fools, boy. But I still need to know, who are you? How can there be two of my son? How?" he demanded.  
  
Harry looked at him, straight in the eye, anger, hatred and power glowing on his white skin, overriding his fear, overriding the excruciating pain on his forehead. "If you can't work it out in that incredibly microscopic excuse for a brain that you have, I am not going to tell you. I have dueled you once, Voldemort, and now it's time to finish our duel."  
  
Harry stood up tall and straight, and bowed, watching Voldemort do the same. Just like the last time Harry dueled with Voldemort, he was hit with the Cruciatus immediately, before he could raise his wand.  
  
The pain seemed more intense than when Lyzria had done it, the fire, the needles, the jagged teeth ripping at him. He tried with all of his might to summon the little voice in the back of his head. "Terminus!" Harry screamed.  
  
Harry was floating away, he could see Voldemort looking in horror at the boy that was Harry, still standing, his eyes closed and his wand in his hand. Harry urged himself to connect with his body again, and they were together again. He opened his eyes, smiling at the look of surprise on Voldemort's face. "Expelliarmus!" Harry yelled, triumphant as he caught Voldemort's wand in his hand, then pocketed it. Tom Riddle was staring at his wandless hand in shock. But he looked at Harry now with a funny smile on his face. And Harry could see him changing.  
  
He was growing, large, into something terrible, something that Harry had never even seen, something that he had never even heard of. It was like a thirty-foot long black scorpion with the head of a basilisk, poisonous green and with a blood red plume. It's tail, which was raised menacingly ended with a barbed two foot long sting, dripping with an orange substance that was obviously poison. It's pincers were clicking ominously, and they looked as though they could crush a dozen men in one snap. Metallic-green, beetle wings were tucked at the creatures side. The snake head was talking in parseltongue, red eyes gleaming with pleasure at the sight of Harry's afraid and panicked face. "I have desssided that I do not need to know who you are right now, boy. I am giving you two optionsss. Join me and you can rissse in my ranksss, you obviousssly have great power. The other option is to try and defeat me," the beast hissed, laughing at the thought of Harry choosing option number two.  
  
Harry looked at the monster that was Voldemort with an obnoxious sneer. "Well, let me think... Okay, I've had a nice long think about it. Let's see, NO!"  
  
Harry closed his eyes, transforming. He opened his eyes, he had hope that the horrendous creature that Voldemort had transformed into would seem less threatening, easier to deal with, now that he was in his dragon form. He was mistaken. Voldemort still looked every bit as appalling as he did when Harry was human. In fact, he looked worse here, because Harry vision and smell was better as a dragon and he could not only see long yellow teeth, but he could smell poison in it beast's fangs as well. The beast widened it's blood red eyes in surprise, but his snake mouth was in a unmistakable smile. It made the animal look even more dangerous.  
  
"Finally, a challenge. So you are an animagusss, boy. Impressssive, a dragon, no lessss. I will enjoy dessstroying you. This is your lassst chanssse. I won't give you another, boy. Join me and you will be given enormousss power. Have you ever though about ssseeing your parentsss again, boy? I could give you the power to bring them back. I would plassse you above all, even my own ssson if you join the ranksss of Lord Voldemort. Don't be ssstupid like your parentsss. Anssswer me, before I kill you in my impatienssse."  
  
Harry didn't answer. He opened his mouth in fury at this insult of his parents. Jets of green and gold fire engulfed the gigantic monster. The creature hissed in what Harry thought was pain and anguish. Smiling grimly, Harry waited for the flames to dies down.  
  
The creature was unscathed. Harry could tell now that it was not screaming, but laughing. It's thick armor must have repelled all of the fire. "Foolish boy! I am invinsssable! I am the most powerful, the greatessst wizard to ever walk the earth. Now, say hello to your idiotic parentsss in hell, boy. It's time for you to die. Good bye," the beast hissed, grinning sinisterly, all of it's fangs bared and tail raised, preparing to strike.  
  
Before Harry could move, one of it's enormous pincers was around one of his arms in a death grin, tearing through the thick dragon hide. The dragon shrieked in pain and the animal's instinct won over Harry's own. And the dragon was furious and no longer cared about coming out alive. All it wanted was to hurt the scorpion creature as much as it could before it died. Harry's thick, spiked tail swung out and ripped a jagged gash in the snake's neck. The scorpion claws threw Harry out of it's grip as it screeched in pain.  
  
Harry, instead of trying to get away, ran back up to the snake's neck and sunk his teeth into the glimmering green scales as hard as he could, clawing with his talons at the black, shining exoskeleton, without progress. His claws were tearing and bleeding in the effort to pierce into Voldemort's heart, but the armor was incredibly strong and did not even scratch. In his haste to hurt the Dark Lord as much as he could, he had forgotten about the poisonous tail. It raked across the dragon's back, blood spilling out in liberal amounts.  
  
Harry's leathery wings were pumping now, propelling him off the ground. He was above the snake head and was feeling bliss surge through him. Flying was better that a broomstick, it was so natural, so exhilarating. He rose fifty, a hundred, two hundred, five hundred feet into the air. He felt like all of his problems had been left on the ground, but he had forgotten the metallic wings. They were now buzzing irritatingly, as the beast rose into the air, it's tail swinging, about to connect with Harry's skull.  
  
Harry dove, narrowly missing the tail. He lashed out with his own tail, and one of the bronze spikes sliced through one of the glowing, scarlet eyes, mutilating it so that the creature was blind in one eye. The Dark Lord screamed in pain. It's claws had wrapped themselves around Harry's neck, choking the dragon, causing jets of fire to shoot out of Harry's nostrils, temporarily blinding the remaining eye. Harry fiercely pulled his neck out of the pincers, succeeding in ripping even more flesh off of his dragon hide, now bleeding profusely and poison coursing through his veins. As though he had meant to do it the whole time, Harry surged forward and ripped off the beast's wings with his own bloodstained jaws, as easily as though the wings belonged to a fly.  
  
Harry pulled away, hovering in the air, watching like it was some sort of horrible movie. Voldemort was screaming, shrieking as he plummeted. He was transforming back into his human form as he fell. He was gaining speed, like a person diving on a broomstick, except for Voldemort was not pulling up. He dropped five hundred feet with the velocity of a bullet and crashed on the ground. It looked as though his body had shattered, exploded in a mass of blood, blanched flesh and other body parts splattered against the previously spotless white rock.  
  
As Voldemort had been falling, the pain in Harry's scar was magnified greatly, frying his brain, his mind worse that the Cruciatus curse. When the Dark Lord hit the ground, sending a last loathing thought at the dragon, the Horntail shrieked in anguish, blinded and paralyzed by the feeling of his scar searing in his flesh. Harry was jerked out of his animagus form by the pain. He fell, plummeting to the ground just like Voldemort had done before him, knowing that death was coming. He closed his eyes and prayed for it to be quick. As he fell, unconsciousness overcame him and he saw no more.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry Apperated to the place where he felt his father's aura, burning on the inside of his eyelids. He looked around the barren rock desert, looking for his father's handsome face. He heard a seething hiss and a earsplitting shriek of fury above his head. Harry squinted into the sky. He saw two flying beasts trying to annihilate one another. One resembled a lethal combination of a scorpion, a snake and a beetle. The other was an enormous, black Hungarian Horntail with deadly spikes along it's back and tail. Suddenly, the dragon tore off the wings of it's foe in triumph. The other monster, whatever it was, was now hurtling towards the earth with increasing speed. Harry looked at it and saw it transforming. His stomach churned furiously. It was an animagus. And as it the milliseconds passed, Harry recognized the wizard and gave out a cry. "Father!"  
  
He tried to wave his wand, to stop his father's body, but it was too late. He ran over to his father's broken body, tears flowing out his eyes freely. Before he reached it though, an anguished roar rumbled through the air and Harry looked up at the dragon. Except, it wasn't a dragon anymore. It was a wizard, another animagus. The wizard was screaming in pain, clutching at his forehead as he plummeted. Harry didn't know who he was, but he knew that if somehow, miraculously, the wizard managed to survive, he would not die a quick death. He would die the slow and excruciating death he deserved. And, a nasty smile on his face, he watched the wizard fall. 


	2. Chapter Six: Tears of the Phoenix

Harry Potter and Guardian of Time:  
  
Chapter Six: Tears of the Phoenix  
  
By: L. N. Scott  
  
Ginny watched as Harry turned and left through the forest. Her heart throbbed in her chest and there were tears in her eyes. He was so different from the Harry that she knew. And yet, he was the same. She closed her eyes. She hadn't realized until now that Harry had never killed. It was almost a second nature to most of them, it was essential to survive in this world. It wasn't something that they enjoyed, but it was done.  
  
Sirius and the rest of the back-up arrived, helping herself and Hermione separate the grateful and astonished muggle-borns in to groups of about ten each and gave each a portkey. As groups of them vanished, Sirius turned to her, eyes full of anxiety. "Where is Harry?" he said urgently.  
  
Ginny told him what had happened. Sirius ran his fingers through his hair, making it stand on end. "Damn, he's gone. I know he's feeling terrible, I should know, but Virginia, the Dark Lord is missing. A spy for us in Enis told us that he disappeared after one of his spies informed him of Harry's appearance. He's looking for Harry, and he finds out that Harry means work for the resistance-" Sirius began, but Ginny cut in.  
  
"-He will kill Harry. But what if he convinces him to join him? I won't put up with it. If Harry joins him, I will kill myself, I swear. I have to go and look for him, and bring Harry back." Ginny said, stubbornly.  
  
Sirius put his arms on Ginny's shoulders and forced her to look at him. "Virginia, what are you saying? Listen to yourself. You can't go after him. I know how you feel, I'm his godfather, I want to do the exact same thing, but we wouldn't stand a chance. Harry can hold his own with the Dark Lord, he can at least get away. I'm afraid, I won't let you go after him."  
  
Ginny's eyes filled with tears. "Don't talk about what you don't understand, Sirius," she said coldly. "I have lost one Harry that I loved. I won't loose him again."  
  
And with that, she stomped on Sirius' foot and ran to the Firebolt that she and Harry had flown on to get to the camp and pushed off the ground, soaring in the direction that Harry had gone. Sirius watched as she left, not bothering to try and call her back. It had been the same with Lily. Nothing would have stopped Lily from getting to James. Not even the Dark Lord could have kept them apart. Sirius didn't fancy being in between Virginia and Harry. Personally, he would feel a little sorry for the Dark Lord if he messed with an angry Virginia Weasley. Sirius Apparated back to the hideout, smiling sadly, his mind focused on Prongs, Lily, Harry and Virginia.  
  
* * *  
  
Ginny soared high in the air, hair flying out like streams of fire, scanning for any sign of Harry. It was hopeless, she had no idea where he could be. Suddenly, faint shrieks and roars reached her ears. One of them sounded like a dragon. Harry. She sped as fast as she could towards the noise. She prayed silently. If Harry had transformed, he must have run into trouble. And whatever he was fighting sounded big and deadly. The sounds were growing steadily louder. Slowly, a blurred image reached her eyes, two animals in the air, fighting, tearing each other up. One was definitely a Hungarian Horntail. It was Harry.  
  
Speeding closer, she began to make out his opponent. She nearly fell off her broom at the sight such a repulsive beast. It was a flying scorpion, and it's head was that of a snake. As she neared, the Horntail ripped the beetle wing's off of his opponent. Ginny closed her eyes in thanks, He had won. She slowly opened them, and to her horror, she was not looking at a triumphant dragon, but Harry, Harry in his human form, diving towards the ground like a falcon. She cursed then kicked her broom into action. Her stomach rose in her stomach as she went into a vertical dive, urging the broom to go faster than gravity, to get to Harry. She was five feet from him, three feet, one foot, half a foot. The ground was still looming ever closer. Ginny knew she had about a second before Harry, her beloved Harry reached the ground. She was concentrating so hard on getting to Harry that she did not see the figure below her, smiling grimly at her attempts of rescue.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry was surprised when a figure with red hair dove in an attempt to rescue this wizard. He of course knew who it was. She was the only one who gave him any challange on the Quidditch pitch. Ginny. He felt sure that she would reach him, she was an incredible flyer. His brain was formulating a plan before he had even realized it. He chuckled to himself. Now was his chance to get revenge on every person who had ever caused him pain. Namely, a certain falling wizard and a pretty redhead on a broomstick.  
  
* * *  
  
As Harry fell, Harry had dreams, vision. Lightning, flashed on his eyelids. His mother smiling at him, tears streaming out of her eyes. His father, hair standing on end, winking at him, though there were tears in his eyes too. Ginny, sleeping, with her eyes closed, peaceful and lovely. Hermione, looking gorgeous, with her hair sleek and her teeth normal sized. Ron's face, half in shadows, his mouth set and determined. Himself, without glasses, laughing coldly, in a high-pitched cackle. His face was changing, his eyes were glowing red, his nose was flat and his skin was chalk white. There was a flash of green light and he saw Ginny lying, eyes wide and glassy. She was dead. Harry screamed. Hermione was mouthing something to him now, Harry couldn't hear, he was screaming so loud. He forced himself to concentrate on Hermione's mouth. It looked like she was mouthing, "Open your eyes, Harry."  
  
Harry's eyes screwed up and he opened them. What he saw was the ground rushing up to him, about to squash him. He screamed again, and suddenly, when he was about three feet from the white stone, he stopped, midair. He turned around to see a crying Ginny Weasley, tumble off the broom and push him onto the ground, sobbing hysterically. She was sobbing, hitting him and hugging him at the same time. He hugged her tightly, embracing her, every ounce of love concentrated into one hug. She was still crying, but whispers were audible through her sniffles. "Harry James Potter, if you ever scare me like that again, I will kill you."  
  
And she kissed him, kissed him like she was breathing him in, like this was the last time she would see him. Harry kissed her back, crying as well. They both had thought that he was going to die. They kissed fiercely, brusing each other, Harry's blood mingling with her tears. Harry's bent glasses broke in the kissing, but neither noticed. As they drunk each other in, there was no need for questions. What had happened or how Ginny had rescued him, didn't matter. They just needed to be with one another. "How romantic," a cold, sarcastic voice drawled from above them.  
  
They both looked up, astonished and fearful, into a pair of cold, glittering emerald eyes. "Ginny, how nice to see you again," he said in amused voice. "I didn't want to interrupt the snog-fest, but I wanted you introduce me to your friend."  
  
Ginny stood up and looked at her ex-boyfriend in disgust. She looked at her own Harry, weak and poisoned. Harry tried to stand as well, but only succeed in falling down, passing out, the poison beginning to take effect. Putting on a confident voice, she bluffed, "Harry, leave us alone unless you want to end up like you father. This wizard destroyed him and he can easily destroy you unless you step down."  
  
The Dark Lord smirked. "Virginia, darling, I highly doubt that. It's true that he destroyed my father, but I think he is much too weak for battle, aren't you?" he said looking at Harry.  
  
The Dark Lord roughly grabbed a handful of Harry's black hair and pulled him up so that he would look into the eyes of the Dark Lord. As the evil Harry looked into the face that mirrored his own, he let out a sharp gasp. He quickly composed himself. "Just as I expected, the mysterious wizard who has my face. But, what an ugly scar you have. Ginny, you slut, I bet you couldn't wait to wrap yourself around him, just like you did to me. Though, I don't blame you. He is rather good-looking, is he not?" Harry said looking at Ginny, but instead, he found himself looking at Ginny's wand, pointed at his heart.  
  
Her face was shaking, but her wand was steady and on target. "Back away from him, Harry, or I will do it, I swear, although death is too good for you."  
  
Harry laughed agian. Turning to Ginny with an odd smile, he sneered. "I don't think that would be wise. He is poisoned, Ginny. He is going to die very quickly unless you give him the only cure I can think of would be Phoenix tears. And who else do you know that has an amulet full of them? So unless you want this imposter to die, you are both coming with me as my prisoners."  
  
Ginny fought the urge to slap Harry. "You monster! I don't know what I saw in you. I give you love, you spit on it. I tell you I care for you, you reject me and scorn me. You are so blind Harry, don't you know what your father did everyday to muggles and muggle-borns? Harry, people aren't meant to be all-powerful. And I don't know what lies your father fed you, but if you believed them, you must be pretty damn gullible. Open your eyes, Harry!"  
  
Harry felt anger pump through his blood like poison. Before Ginny could move her wand, he had leapt forward and snatched it from her grasp. Now he had his wand pointed between Ginny's eyes. His breathing was ragged and triumphant. "One wrong move, Weasley and I'll put the Imperius curse on you and make you kill your boyfriend. That would be highly entertaining, but that is a death a bit too quick for your unusual friend. Now, who is he?"  
  
Ginny's eyes were set and determined, glittering stonily. She did not answer. "Fine, the seconds are ticking, Weasley, he's dying. Let's see, should I summon Veritaserum or should I torture you until you say who he is? I think torture is the right answer. Crucio!"  
  
Ginny collapsed onto the ground, shrieking in pain. She wanted to die, she would do anything to stop the pain. She forgot where she was or who she was. The sound of her screams roused Harry back to consciousness. He was weaker that ever, but he could see the wizard with his back to him torturing the girl that he loved. Before he could form a rational plan, he sat up and hoarsely croaked, "Leave her alone, Harry! She didn't do anything. I killed your beloved father. If you let her go, I'll tell you everything."  
  
Harry's dark, almost black eyes glittered and he smiled sinisterly, but he released Ginny from the curse. She gasped and lay on the ground, still twitching. His wand still on Ginny, he turned to his double. "Alright then, talk. Who are you? Why did you kill my father? And why do you look like me?"  
  
Harry opened his mouth to respond, but the lethal poison was talking effect. He vomited scarlet blood onto the white rock. "I," he choked, more blood trickling down his blanched face. "Am... Harry... Potter..."  
  
And with that, Harry's mind slipped into unconsciousness and his head fell back against the rock with a sickening crack. Ginny cried out and rushed to his side, wiping up the blood with her robes. Harry turned to Ginny. "What does he mean that he is Harry Potter?"  
  
Ginny's eyes were screwed up in deepest loathing as they looked into the face of her first love. Harry almost took a step back, and he felt an surprising flicker of fear. He quickly quashed it and his eyes returned to their normal cold, empty state. "You monster! You're killing him! I'm not telling you anything until you cure him. And I don't care if you torture me or force me to kill him because he's dying anyways."  
  
Harry nearly rolled his eyes. Ginny had always been stubborn. Perhaps that was why they were attracted to each other. They were both alike. Proud, obnoxious and stubborn. He pulled the amulet out from under his robes, not knowing that his counterpart had the exact same amulet. He pressed the amulet into Harry's forehead, a bit harder than he normally would have done, and muttered, "Fortis Pheonia."  
  
Instantly, it took effect. Harry's unconscious body glowed gold before the health returned. Ginny could see his wounds healing. His many cuts and bruises were vanishing and his skin was peach with health, instead of bone white. A muffled sob escaped from her and she hugged Harry, felt him under her fingers, and smelled him. He smelled like blood, tears and fire. She willed herself to believe that he was alright. He blinked groggily awake, everything around him blurred and out of focus. Then he realized that he didn't have his glasses. He looked down at his body and was surprised to see that although he was covered in blood, his injuries seemed to have vanished. "Now he," a voice echoed above him, "We are going to my castle. Catch," the voice said an he instinctively caught the ball. It was a portkey. He felt the jerk from behing his nose and Ginny, who was clutching to him, came as well. The world spun chaoticly and suddenly, it snaped back into focus. He and Ginny were in a dripping, dark stone room, with no windows and no door. They were trapped in a dungeon of the castle Enis.  
  
***  
  
I know this was a short chapter, but I'll do bigger ones next time, I promise!  
  
Many thanks to everyone who reviewed: Xelena, Otaku freak, Abienne Dawning, SilverShadow, Keja Wilson, and Sparks 


	3. Chapter Seven: A Dark Victory

Harry Potter and the Guardian of Time  
  
Author: L. N. Scott  
  
Author email: SilverDreamer300388@yahoo.com  
  
Spoilers: For all four books  
  
Rating: PG-13  
  
Disclaimer: This story is based on characters and situations created and owned by JK Rowling, various publishers including but not limited to Bloomsbury Books, Scholastic Books and Raincoast Books, and Warner Bros., Inc. No money is being made and no copyright or trademark infringement is intended. Other citations will be made where necessary.  
  
Chapter Seven: A Dark Victory  
  
Hermione Granger was pacing rapidly in her room. She couldn't believe it. The resistance had all been told that morning that it was confirmed that Lord Voldemort was dead. At first, there was celebration. Then, the grave announcement came that Harry Potter and Virginia Weasley were taken by the Dark Lord's son. Hermione was angry at a lot of people, but especially Sirius for being such an idiot, letting Ginny go after Harry. Ginny may be a talented witch, but she was also reckless and stubborn. Ron, her boyfriend, was sitting on her bed, eying her worriedly. "Herm, stop worrying. This is Harry Potter we're talking about. But, he dragged Virginia into this... I am going to kill him if she gets hurt because of him," Ron said in a tight voice as though trying to convince himself that they were okay.  
  
"Ron, you know perfectly well that if she got hurt, it would be of her own will. Maybe you don't see it, but I can tell that they really care for each other. I'm not sure about Harry, I don't know him that well, but I can say for a fact that your sister is truely, madly and deeply in love with him."  
  
Ron's freckled face blanched white. "L-Love?" he spluttered. "Virginia is in love with him? You mean she's actually going to try and stay loyal to Potter? Shit!" he swore.  
  
Hermione stopped pacing and looked calculatingly at Ron. "Ron, you shouldn't swear! And what's wrong with it? I think it's sweet and romantic. Not that you would understand," she said coldly.  
  
Ron stood up and his eyes were glittering oddly. "Hermione, now is not the time to discuss our relationship. We need to-"  
  
Hermione, her face red, shouted over him. "What do you mean now is not the time? I think now is a very good time! Ron, our relationship is falling apart! You've been missing for days on end, you never talk to me, and you haven't kissed me for a two months! Now you should tell me what the hell is going on, or I am leaving you Ronald Weasley!"  
  
Ron gave a funny half smile. "Hermione," he said calmly. "You are absolutely right. I have been a real jerk. I will tell you why I've been distant and all. But first, let me give you something that I've been meaning to for a long time."  
  
He pulled a black jewellery box out of his pocket and held it out for her. Wordlessly, she reached to take the the box from his hands. As she felt her hands close over the box, she felt as thought she was being pulled forward. The box was a portkey. She and Ron were disolving in the howling wind and color. The world around her swirled and she wondered what the hell Ron was up to.(A/N: I know I have alot of portkeys in this book, but I like portkeys!)  
  
* * *  
  
Mentally grinning from head to toe, Harry mumbled, "Lower."  
  
The gorgeous girl who was massaging him quickly did as he asked. She moved her graceful ivory fingers, which were painted blood red to match her ircredibly short shorts, lower on his back. She had blue-black ringlets down to her waist, which covered up the fact that she was topless. "Of course, Harry," she said in a honey-coated voice. "Congratutations on capturing those rebels. I knew you would do it. You're so handsome and strong and powerful. How ever did you do it, Harry?"  
  
Harry instantly sat up, still a bit dizzy from all of the sandal-wood scented oil over his body. He struggled to remember this one's name. Technically, he was still going out with Charlotte Ware, but Charlotte, who was very smart, lacked the hour-glass figure and smoky gray eyes that this witch possessed. "Shit. I have to go question them before anyone else gets to them. Even though the two prisoners are separated, both are mad enough to decapitate the unwary with their hands. Also, I think I will enjoy my interviews with these rebels. Bye. And, er, what's your name again?" He said, getting up and heading for the door.  
  
She smiled coyly, apparently a little thing like him not even knowing her name was going to put her off. She didn't seem at all offended. Then again, Harry Potter usually didn't even bother getting to know the names of the countless girls he was with. If he asked for her name, he must like her. "Verity. Verity Amor. I will see you later, Harry Potter," she murmered seductively.  
  
He grinned. In his mind he thought, Goodbye Charlotte. Hello Verity. "I will most definitely be seeing you around, Verity Amor," he said in a low voice, letting her name roll over his tongue like a fine wine. "Now I must give those prisoners a proper greeting," he sneered, walking out of the door.  
  
* * *  
  
A green lightning bolt flashed. Harry and Ginny were trapped. Behind them, giant scorpions and spiders were moving like one enormous monster. There were two ways to go through the passage. Each way had three people begging them to follow them and not the other three. One passageway had velvet carpets and chadaliers floating in the air. Ron, Percy Weasley and a pretty girl with reddish hair and olive green eyes were pleading with Harry and Ginny to follow them down that passage. The other passageway was dark and shadowed, and the floor was rough wood. Hermione, a pretty girl with long blue-black curls and Fleur Delacour were frantically gesturing them to follow them. He looked at Ginny and could read from her expression that she also was confused about whether to listen to Ron or Hermione. There was another flash of light, this time blinding white and Harry Potter woke, blinking the sleep out of his eyes.  
  
That was a very weird dream, he thought. He looked at the room he was in. He was suddenly aware that he was chained to the walls by cold metal chains that he could feel burning icily with magic. He looked at the room he was in. It was not the room that he had arrived in. It was circular with roughly hewn stone walls. There were no windows and straw cover the floor that he had been sleeping on. There was one door, but it looked like it was made out of steel. He tried to remember what had happened, but all he could remember was... Ginny! Where was she? When they had used the portkey, they had travelled together, but where was she? She definitely wasn't in the room.  
  
With an ominous crrreeeeaaakkk, the metal door opened and Harry, through blurred vision (he still doesn't have his glasses), saw himself, clothed in emerald green robes lined with gold. "You are awake," said a cruel, cold voice. "Excellent. I will begin by telling you that in this room, no magic can be done, not by me or anyone else. So it is pointless to try and transform or Apparate or even to use a portkey. I want to begin my questioning."  
  
The figure walked over to Harry and paused, looking into Harry's green eyes that were identical to his own. Then, without warning, his fist struck out with the speed of a snake and landed on Harry's stomach. Harry felt tears spring to his eyes, but he didn't let them fall. Instead he glared stonily at his attacker. "Oops. I forgot to tell you. I can still hurt you as long as it doesn't involve magic," his counterpart said with the tone of one making a small, petty mistake. "I must say, I'm enjoying this far too much."  
  
Harry felt the anger well up in him. "Well, at least I don't need to chain up my enemies just to get in a decent punch," he retorted cooly.  
  
The other Harry didn't respond, he just took out a small vial filled with a clear potion. Harry felt his stomach clench. Veritaserum. Shit. The other Harry firmly placed his right hand around his prisoners neck, making the prisoner choke. As his mouth opened, Harry emptied the three drops into his prisoner's mouth. Instantly, the prisoner stopped struggling. He went limp in his chains and his emerald eyes dulled, then slipped in and out of focus. The Dark wizard smirked, then ruthlessly began his questioning.  
  
* * *  
  
Virginia Weasley let a muffled sob escape her. She was not in a dungeon cell like she imagined she would be, but in a plain, peach colored room. It was simply furnished with a small bed and a wooden wardrobe. There was one door that she immeadietly tried to open, but it was locked. She was trapped. Harry must have confiscated my wand, she thought bitterly. She decided that she shouldn't just sit there and worry, waiting for Harry to come and kill or torture her. She started looking through the wardrobe for anything useful, something heavy that she could bash Harry's head in with. She hated him always having the upperhand.  
  
As she ruffled through the wardrobe, she found nothing remotely useful, just robes in every color you could hope for, some very nice strappy shoes that Ginny would very much like to keep, if they weren't owned by that son- of-a-bitch. She felt the anger well up in her and she kicked the wardrobe, and succeeded in brusing her toe. She took hold of one strappy shoe and banged it against the door in frustration. "Let me out, Harry! Let me out, our I'll use this shoe to tear you apart and wear your intestines as a belt!"  
  
A cold voice from behind her made her freeze what she was doing. "That would be painful, as well as a fashion disaster, Weasley."  
  
She slowly turned around and saw her old boyfriend lying gracefully on her bed, looking very sexy in a green and gold robe. Damn, she though. Why does he have to look so perfect? Why can't he be horrible looking? She couldn't help but notice how he had changed since they were together. He was taller, colder and more arrogant. His eyes, that used to have an almost golden tinge, were a calculating, hard, sharp green. His face was thinner, which made his perfect cheekbones stand out and his skin was much paler. His lips were curled in an amused smirk. "How've you been, Ginny? Actually, spare me. Your speccy boyfriend told me everything under the influence of Veritaserum. I must say, I never suspected the Guardian was real. I want to thank you, by the way, for coming here. Now were have a hostage to barter with. Your resistance is pathetic. They are going to crumble, Weasley. Of course, we're never letting you leave alive, but they are too stupid to know that."  
  
Ginny's lip trembled. He was so cruel. And this was all her fault. Now, she was a hostage and she was sure that any of her brothers would willingly take her place. Her voice cracked as she asked the one thing that still mattered. "Where is Harry?"  
  
The wizard smiled broadly. "It's a pity, really. I would have liked him, though he was competition for my looks. He was powerful too, maybe even more powerful than me. I'm afraid we'll never know."  
  
Ginny's insides went cold. "What do you mean we'll never know?" she whispered so quietly that she could barely hear herself.  
  
"I killed him. He is dead, Weasley," he said, pulling a knife out of his pocket that was stained red.  
  
Ginny froze. It was as though her heart was forgetting to beat her lungs forgot to breathe, and her veins were filled with ice. She was no longer in the room, her mind was else where in a land of gray shadows. I killed him. He's dead. No, she thought frantically. No. He's lying. No. Harry can't be dead. No. He's dead. No!  
  
* * *  
  
Hermione felt her feet hit a hard stone ground. She stood up slowly, still dizzy from the portkey trip. The walls were all rock, and she was in a room with one exit. She glanced around for Ron, but found herself looking at his wand. "Don't move, Hermione," he whispered with a triumphant smile.  
  
Hermione felt a tingle of cold fear travel up her spine. What was going on? This was Ron, loyal, brave and loving Ron. With her eyes so big that they dominated her face she said in a would-be calm voice, "Ron, where are we? What is going on?"  
  
He gave a small grimace. "I'm sorry, Hermione, that it's come to this. I really am. But Virginia is my sister..." he trailed off uncomfortably.  
  
Hermione, who was famous for her incredible skills with logic, quickly figured it out. "You are going to trade me to get Ginny back," she said in a cold voice, and it was a statement, not a question.  
  
Ron was silent. "How noble of you. I'm sure that Ginny will be so proud that her own brother had the courage to trade her best friend in. Well, good job, Ron."  
  
He burst out in a furious protest. "Hermione! If you had to choose between me and your parents, who would it be?"  
  
Hermione took deep, angry breaths. "You lying bastard! You could of traded yourself in, but oops you are already a Death Eater, aren't you Ron?" she angrily yelled. He was silent again. "I thought so. How else would you have a portkey that takes you right into his dungeon? Ron, don't you see what the Dark Lord has done? Do you understand why we are even resisting against him? What the fuck is your problem?"  
  
Ron flinched at the last sentence. He had never had Hermione direct her anger towards him. Also, he had never heard Hermione swear, not once in her life until now. He quickly hardened his face. "Shut up, mudblood."  
  
"Mudblood?" said Hermione in disbelief. "I was your girlfriend Ronald Weasley! What is all this "mudblood" crap?" she said, taking a step forward, poking a finger in his chest. Ron was too shocked to even move. "I am going to loose my temper, Ron, unless you stop this."  
  
"I..." he spluttered, but this only made Hermione angrier. Whipping out her wand, which Ron had so blindly forgotten about, she hissed, "Stupify!"  
  
He fell back, his eyes glassy and hit the floor. It was then that Hermione realized that she was trapped in the Dark Lord's castle, with no help and no boyfriend. She sank to her knees, crying. "Ron, why did you do this?" she rasped.  
  
She slapped herself and stood up. She was Hermione Granger. She had brains. She had her wand. And she was going to at least try escape with her life and try to help Harry and Ginny if it killed her.  
  
* * *  
  
Harry watched as Ginny blacked out and actually felt a little guilty. It hadn't occured to him that she might actually like this wizard. He cheered himself up a little by thinking about that Death Eater, Ron Weasley. He said he would trade that book theif mudblood, Hermione Granger, for his little sister. A pity that he would have to kill Ginny anyway.  
  
****  
  
Okay, so I killed good Harry and I made Ron a Death Eater. And I'm planning Ginny's death and Hermione is hopelessly trapped in evil Harry's fortress. Maybe I should just let evil Harry win and he can wear leather pants to celebrate his victory. Or not. Please read and reveiw and if you want updates, email me at SilverDreamer300388@yahoo.com  
  
Thanks to Lizzy Black, Xelena, Otaku freak, Leeva, Melanie, Kit Walker, Generay, mw, Time Twins, Stewart and Sparks for reviewing this chapter. 


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